Researchers from the Monash University School of Physics and Astronomy and the Czech Academy of Sciences have created what is believed to be the world’s smallest scannable QR code, measuring just 50 by 50 nm2.
That’s more than 1000 times smaller in width than a human hair, and almost 800 times smaller in area than the current Guinness World Record holder.
Using an ultra-precise scanning tunnelling microscope, the team carefully positioned individual silver atoms one by one onto a surface to construct the tiny QR code, which can still be scanned using a mobile phone.
“This is a playful demonstration of the extraordinary level of control these microscopes give us at the atomic scale,” said Dr Julian Ceddia, a research fellow at the Monash University School of Physics and Astronomy.
“But the same techniques are also being used by researchers around the world to build entirely new materials atom by atom, structures that simply don’t exist in nature.”
The work was carried out during a collaboration between researchers from Monash University and the Institute of Physics of the Czech Academy of Sciences (FZU) in Prague.
Scanning tunnelling microscopes are capable of imaging and manipulating matter at the atomic scale. Operating under ultra-high vacuum and cryogenic temperatures, the microscope uses a needle-like probe positioned incredibly close to a surface, close enough for electrons to quantum tunnel between them.
This allows scientists not only to see individual atoms, but also to move them.
“We very gently brought our probe, coated in silver atoms, into contact with a silver surface,” said Dr Oleksandr Stetsovych from the Czech Academy of Sciences.
“With the right conditions, we can leave behind a single atom exactly where we want it.”
The researchers automated much of the construction process, placing atoms across a tiny 50 x 50 nm2 area to form the QR code pattern.
“The automation got us most of the way there,” said Dr Benjamin Lowe from the Czech Academy of Sciences.
“Then we manually adjusted and aligned the final atoms to make the QR code fully scannable.”
Beyond the novelty factor, the research highlights technologies that are helping scientists explore the future of quantum materials and next-generation computing.
Researchers worldwide are using atomic-scale manipulation techniques to investigate quantum behaviours, engineer new electronic states, and potentially develop future quantum computing components.
The nano QR code also serves another purpose, promoting “SPM Pro Tips”, a new international outreach initiative celebrating the beauty and creativity of scanning probe microscopy.
The project invites researchers around the world to share striking microscopy images and explain their work in ways that are accessible to the public.
Visitors can explore the gallery and vote for their favourite submission by scanning the atomic QR code or visiting spmprotips.com.
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