Slashdot Mirror
New Type of Atomic Microscope On the Way
Iddo Genuth writes "Researchers at the Surface Science Laboratory at Universidad Autonoma de Madrid have created an ultrasmooth mirror that could be used to create a revolutionary new atomic microscope within the next several years. The new atomic microscope — using helium atoms for imaging — has the potential to provide the same resolution as existing electron microscopes but without many of the problems which have plagued them for years."
Well, there's still lots of it underground, and higher prices usually lead to improved recovery methods.
Or it could all be coming from the secret Fusion plants operated by Illuminati, Men in Black, and the Easter Bunny.
How can I believe you when you tell me what I don't want to hear?
how the hell is this flamebait? the moderator needs to get a sense of humor (or learn what flamebait is).
Presumably then this new meV He microscope will use neutral atoms? If so, I don't understand how they could image a surface at very high resolution. I know the corresponding DeBroglie wavelength of a beam of He must be very small indeed, but the actual physical size of the He atoms surely must be larger than the current sub-angstrom limit of monochromatic spherical-abberation corrected e microscopes no? So then what am I missing? What's the benefit here. You seem clueful, can you or the parent tell us more about this new low energy He beam stuff?
- "Hear that?! The percolations are imminent! Cease your ingress!"