Sharpest object man-made
Who
University of Alberta, National Institute for Nanotechnology
Where
Canada (National Institute for Nanotechnology)
When

Scientists at the National Institute for Nanotechnology and the University of Alberta (both Canada) have created a tungsten needle that tapers to a thickness of just one atom. The breakthrough, announced in May 2006, should allow the construction of better super high-resolution electron microscopes.

The needle, made by postdoc Mohamed Rezeq at the University of Alberta’s National Institute for Nanotechnology, starts out much blunter. However, exposed to a pure nitrogen atmosphere, a rapid slimming begins. At the start oft he process the tungsten is chemically very reactive and the nitrogen roughens the tungsten surface. An electric field is created by applying a voltage to the tungsten and is at its maximum force at the tip of the needle where atoms are driven away leaving a sharp point.