Introduction

A new nanotechnology research programme `Nanorobotics - technologies for simultaneous multidimensional imaging and manipulation of nanoobjects´ has been established by a large grant from the RCUK Basic Technology research programme. The programme led by Dr. B J Inkson and Dr. G Möbus in the Engineering Materials Department, is a collaboration between 3 University of Sheffield departments (Engineering Materials, Electrical and Electronic Engineering & Clinical Dentistry), together with researchers at Sheffield Hallam University and the University of Nottingham.

Many new nanotechnology research fields require a high degree of precision in both observing and manipulating materials at the atomic level. The advanced nanorobotics technology needed to manipulate materials at this scale, a million times smaller than a grain of sand, is being developed in the new Sheffield NANOLAB.

The integration of different technologies to act as simultaneous real-time nanoscale `eyes´ and `hands´, including the advanced nanorobotics, high-resolution ion/electron microscopy, image processing/vision control and sophisticated sensors, will be the key to realising such nanomanipulation.

The NANOLAB programme will thus allow unique experiments to be carried out on the manipulation and observation of the smallest quantities of materials, including research into nanoscale electronic, magnetic and electromechanical devices, manipulation of fullerenes and nanoparticles, nanoscale friction and wear, biomaterials, and systems for carrying out quantum information processing.