Researchers use nanotechnology for world’s smallest violin
Physicists at Loughborough University use nanotechnology to create the world’s smallest violin, so tiny it can fit inside human hair. The miniature musical instrument is a test subject for the researchers to try out the capabilities of the university’s new nanolithography system, which can allow them to build and study structures at the nanoscale. While the physicists are able to create the world’s smallest violin, they add that it’s a microscopic image of it rather than a playable musical instrument. In fact, this thinner-than-hair photo sits on top of a small chip. The making of the world’s smallest violin: first, the physicists use a clean chip.
They put the chip into a glove box, and inside, they coat the chip with a thin layer of polymer. Next, they place the chip under the NanoFrazor, which is a nano-sculpting machine from Heidelberg Instruments. They load a violin pattern into the NanoFrazor’s software and set the machine’s parameters. The NanoFrazor’s hot tip then ‘writes’ the violin pattern onto the polymer. After this, they dissolve the polymer, and this process leaves a hole in the shape of a violin. They then move the chip to a deposition chamber and add a layer of platinum. Lastly, they take the chip out of the system and put it in acetone. As soon as the acetone removes all the remaining polymer, a platinum violin comes through, displaying the microscopic image of the instrument.
all images courtesy of Loughborough University
Thinner than a human hair and no larger than dust
The making the world’s smallest violin can be comparable to screen or silk printing, just on a much smaller scale. The physicists at Loughborough University say that the musical instrument’s image measures 13 micrometers across and 35 micrometers tall. For comparison, an average human hair measures between 15 and 120 micrometers wide. In this case, the violin is smaller than a human hair, even no larger than a speck of dust. For the researchers, nanotechnology results like this can help produce small parts for devices, such as smartphone and laptop components.
In return, it can result in making them thinner. Having smaller parts can also mean more components can fit inside a single device. Building the world’s smallest violin builds on knowledge for future research since few NanoFrazor systems exist in the UK at the present time. Tools like such help researchers design experiments to study different materials in various ways, including light, magnetism, or electricity, and to observe how the materials respond. So far, there are already two Loughborough University research projects that are underway using the nanolithography system. One is exploring alternatives to magnetic data storage, and another is investigating how heat can be used for faster and more energy-efficient data storage and processing.
viewers can see the violin through a microscope
view of the human hair strand
image of the violin in the middle compared to the strand of hair next to it
the miniature instrument is a subject to test the university’s new nanolithography system
the making the world’s smallest violin then can be comparable to screen or silk printing
after this, two projects are underway at the university using nanotechnology
project info:
name: World’s smallest violin
institution: Loughborough University | @lborouniversity
physicists: Dr. Naëmi Leo, Professor Kelly Morrison, Dr. Fasil Dejene
machinery: Heidelberg Instruments
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