tin whisker
n.— «Four weeks ago, the “tin whisker,” as it is known in the electronics industry, bridged a line of conductive material, called a “trace,” on the circuit board in Unit 3’s computer monitoring system, causing a short.» —“NRC To Issue Notice About ‘Tin Whisker’” by Patricia Daddona The Day (New London, Conn.) May 19, 2005. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
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