Vorstoss in eine neue Dimension: Angewandte Nanotechnologie an der FHBB

A New Dimension: Applied Nanotechnology at the FHBB

Abstract

Nanotechnology is a new technology, a further development of the microsystem technique to the nanometer scale. It already influences many areas of our daily life e.g. scratch-resistant glasses, non-polluting surface coatings. In particular in computer and medical science, great advances are expected. Nanotechnology allows the analysis and manipulation of materials with atomic resolution. The central instrumentation of this technology is the scanning tunneling microscope (Nobel prize in physics 1986: G. Binning and H. Rohrer) and the atomic force microscope in particular, that allows the investigation of surface structures down to the nanometer scale. The FHBB is in the process of implementing a nanotechnology project. The development of the project is financially supported by the Stiftung zur Förderung der FHBB for the next four years which has enabled the purchase of an atomic force microscope. With this instrumentation the project will focus principally on surface investigation and modification. The rapid implementation and development of the project will be helped considerably by the intense contact with the group of Prof. Guentherodt (University of Basel), one of the most highly acknowledged research groups in nanotechnology. Interesting research collaborations have already been started with polymer manufacturers and pharmaceutical industry. Besides applied research and development, nanotechnology should exert a great impact on the education of students at the FHBB.