Scientists at IBM Research in California say they have figured out how to record rapid changes at the level of individual atoms for the first time.
IBM has used a scanning tunnelling microscope to study very fast changes in atoms Photo credit: IBM Research
Until now, it has usually taken hours to get a picture of what is happening within a single atom. But according to IBM Research, scientists in the company's $6bn (£3.8bn) R&D unit have learnt how to use a scanning tunnelling microscope to record and study very fast changes at the atomic level. The researchers believe they will now be able to record atoms' behaviour at speeds of up to one million times faster than was previously thought possible.
Although it is not yet known what the practical implications of the innovation could be, it is thought that understanding how long an individual atom can hold on to information could one day extend data storage much closer to the particle level. The advance could also help with the creation of much more efficient photovoltaic cells and with quantum computing.
Scientists from the team explain their work in the video below.
For more on this ZDNet UK-selected story, see IBM breakthrough could measure rapid changes to atoms on CNET News.
