Physicists determine the three-dimensional positions of individual atoms for the first time
Monday, September 21, 2015 - 14:30
in Physics & Chemistry
Atoms are the building blocks of all matter on Earth, and the patterns in which they are arranged dictate how strong, conductive or flexible a material will be. Now, scientists at UCLA have used a powerful microscope to image the three-dimensional positions of individual atoms to a precision of 19 trillionths of a meter, which is several times smaller than a hydrogen atom.