Images Dated 6th November 2002

Molecular transistor, AFM

Molecular transistor. Coloured atomic force micro- graph (AFM) of a transistor on the molecule scale. It consists of electrodes (yellow) created by electron beam lithography (EBL) linked with a carbon nanotube. EBL uses an electron beam to etch structures onto a surface. Transistors control current in electronic circuits. Their miniaturis- ation has led to faster and faster computers. Atomic force microscopy is a technique used for studying surfaces at an atomic level. A thin probe is moved over the surface, and its movements as it follows the contours are used to create an image. Magnification: x35, 000 at 6x6cm size

© DIGITAL INSTRUMENTS/VEECO/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY

SHIP lab to detect chemical elements

SHIP atomic fusion equipment used for creating new chemical elements at the Society for Heavy Ion Research (GSI) at Darmstadt, Germany. SHIP (Separ- ator for Heavy Ion Reaction Products) collides a beam of fast heavy ions (in tube at right) from the UNILAC accelerator into a target inside a chamber (pink). The atomic nuclei undergo fusion reactions to form new elements & forms (isotopes) of other elements. These pass through a fragment separator to a detector for identification. These elements & isotopes allow studies of the forces binding nuclei together. A GSI team led by Peter Armbruster discovered the 6 heaviest-known elements (107 to 112) during 1981-96. Photographed in 1997

© DAVID PARKER/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY