IBM has now announced that it has managed to use MRI (Magnetic Resonance imaging) for observing objects at nanoscale (10-9 m). MRI is commonly used in health care today as a form of x-ray, but at IBM MRI is used to develop a technology that will make it possible to see separate atoms and their positions in a 3D space. IBM has demonstrated a two-dimensional microscope that is capable of detecting an object of a mere 90nm in size. This means that you will be able to see as few as 103 atoms instead of 108 as today. MRFM (Magnetic Resonance Force Microscopy) is up to 60,000 times more sensitive than today’s MRI technology and the secret is called “force detection.”
The researchers have built hypersensitive tips that can detect the magnetic forces of the atomic nuclei. Even if the researchers are far from reaching their final goal they’ve taken a big step forward.
As of today we’re able to study objects down to a scale of 3µm, IBM’s microscope has 30 times better resolution. This kind of microscope that IBM is trying to build could be used to study anything from single atoms in proteins to integrated circuits to find faulty or leaking lanes. There is no limit to what you can do.
Although, nano-level isn’t enough to study single atoms but then you have to improve the sensitivity even further. With a nano microscope you will be able to study down 3-5 atoms, which is still pretty impressive though.
