Part of the Science Public Lecture Series
Can we build a Star Trek replicator? In other words (and for the non-Trekkers among you), can we break down matter into its atomic or molecular components, reassembling it into another form by precisely controlling the position of each atom?
This sounds like modern-day alchemy. But even with today’s technology not only do we see single atoms, they’re prodded, poked, pushed, and pulled -- with precision right down to the single chemical bond limit -- into ever-more sophisticated nanostructures. To do this we use a microscope like no other; without lenses, or mirrors, or indeed optics of any type, the scanning probe microscope (SPM) allows us to move atoms almost at will. Professor Moriarty will discuss just how SPMs are being integrated with artificial intelligence techniques to revolutionise our ability to mould the atomic and molecular worlds.
University Park NottinghamNG7 2RD
t: +44 (0) 115 951 5151 e: theinstitute@nottingham.ac.uk