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The Nobel prize 100 years on: thermal expansion of metals

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Powering a spacecraft

AT A GLANCE

Nanotechnology

Nanotechnology is the study and manipulation of objects in the approximate size range 1–100nm (1nm = 1 × 10–9 m).

Electron microscopes are important instruments for nanotechnologists. Both particle and wave models are needed to explain how they work. In a scanning transmission electron microscope (1), an electron gun (2) accelerates electrons to high energy. The electron beam is steered using magnetic lenses (3) and focused to a fine spot on the object being studied, which absorbs and scatters electrons. Sensors detect the intensity of the beam transmitted through the object, and the spot is scanned in a grid pattern to build up an image (4).

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Previous

The Nobel prize 100 years on: thermal expansion of metals

Next

Powering a spacecraft

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