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Nature 458, 844-845 (16 April 2009) | doi:10.1038/458844a; Published online 15 April 2009

Open Innovation Challenges

Imaging: Nanoscale MRI

P. C. Hammel1

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Magnetic resonance imaging offers rich three-dimensional pictures, but with limited resolution. Imaging at the nanometre scale has now become possible using highly sensitive force-detection techniques.

Seeing inside a complex object is an invaluable aid to understanding it, so three-dimensional imaging is a pressing objective in areas ranging from molecular and cell biology to investigations of the electronic and structural properties of materials. The challenge is made more difficult by the desire to see the object without altering it in the process.

  1. P. C. Hammel is in the Department of Physics, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA.
    Email: hammel@mps.ohio-state.edu

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