New views at the nanoscale

New views at the nanoscale

"With MRFM, the sample to be examined is attached to the end of a tiny silicon cantilever (about 100 millionths of a meter long and 100 billionths of a meter wide). As a magnetic iron cobalt tip moves close to the sample, the atoms’ nuclear spins become attracted to it and generate a small force on the cantilever. The spins are then repeatedly flipped, causing the cantilever to gently sway back and forth in a synchronous motion. That displacement is measured with a laser beam to create a series of 2-D images of the sample, which are combined to generate a 3-D image."