Kavli Prize in Nanoscience 2016

KAVLI PRIZE IN NANOSCIENCE 2016

The Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters has decided to award the Kavli Prize in Nanoscience for 2016 to

GERD BINNIG Former Member of IBM Zurich Research Laboratory, Switzerland

CHRISTOPH GERBER University of Basel, Switzerland

CALVIN QUATE Stanford University, USA

“ for the invention and realization of atomic force microscopy, a breakthrough in measurement technology and nanosculpting that continues to have a transformative impact on nanoscience and technology”

Sculpting and analysing nanoscale struc- microscopy, atomic force microscopy can detection of chemical reactions by tem- tures are at the core of nanoscience. An also be applied to insulating materials. perature-sensitive cantilevers, opening ultimate dream had been to position new doors for medical applications. In atoms on any surface, one by one, to Nanosculpting refers to adding, arrang- life sciences, explorations of molecular enable the design and creation of revolu- ing, and removing atoms to produce processes with high resolution advance tionary new structures. Imaging atomic desired phenomena and functions. The drug design. structures in a wide range of material tip provides a versatile tool for accom- systems was another visionary concept. plishing such control. Being able to The invention of atomic force microscopy The invention of atomic force microscopy manipulate conductors and insulators at has spawned a wide variety of measure- has turned these dreams into reality. the nanoscale has applications compa- ment and manipulation techniques Atomic force microscopy is now widely rable to those of nanoscale 3D printing. invaluable for many purposes. These used in the fields of physics, chemistry, Nanostructures created by force micros- range from magnetic force and chemical biology, and materials science. copy-based techniques include devices in force microscopy to magnetic resonance nanoelectronics, nanophotonics, and spectroscopy, and scanning capacitance In atomic force microscopy, a nanoscale nanomagnetism. microscopy. Another example is friction tip scans across a sample surface at force microscopy that deepens our under- atomically close range. At the same time, The advantages of atomic force micros- standing of lubrication at the atomic the tiny forces between the sample and copy include experimenting in liquids level. the tip are detected. These forces reveal such as water, which opens the possibility many properties of the sample, such as of exploring biological systems. A single Atomic force microscopy is a powerful the arrangement of its individual atoms, molecule, such as a DNA or a protein and versatile scientific technique that now with subatomic resolution. Electric molecule, can be suspended between the continues to advance nanoscience for the and magnetic interactions, friction, and tip and surface. Lifting the tip stretches benefit of society. chemical bonding can induce these and unfolds the molecule. The measured forces. The technique is applicable over restoring force reveals the molecule’s a wide temperature range and in mag- elastic properties and functionality. Bio- netic fields. Unlike scanning tunnelling chemical sensors are utilizing the in-situ The Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters Drammensveien 78, 0271 Oslo, Norway Phone +47 22 84 15 00 www.dnva.no