The Kelvin Nanocharacterisation Centre (KNC) has been established as a result of securing major grants from SHEFC (Scottish Higher Education Funding Council), EPSRC (Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council), Scottish Enterprise and industry which has allowed the department to enhance its current facilities through the acquisition of two further state-of-the-art instruments.

The FEI Tecnai F20 is a TEM (Transmission Electron Microscope) optimised for analytical studies on a scale approaching atomic size. The second instrument, a FEI Strata 200 focused ion beam (FIB) machine is a valuable tool for modifying the local properties of materials as well as providing an excellent means of preparing specimens for subsequent examination in the TEM.

Professor Alan Craven, Department of Physics & Astronomy, explains, 'Combined with our existing facilities, these new instruments make us one of the foremost microscopy facilities in the UK'.

An exciting multi-disciplinary scientific programme is already in place which will see the team in KNC working with colleagues from industry and academia within Scotland, Europe and worldwide.

Professor Craven added, ' To complement our core in-house programme, we hope to establish longterm collaborative projects with both industrial and academic colleagues.'

Media Relations Office (media@gla.ac.uk)

You are invited to attend Monday?s event taking place within the Kelvin Building, University of Glasgow on Monday 14 April 2003 at 11.00am.

There will be an opportunity to tour the facility and see the new equipment in use.

Please contact the University Press Office on 0141 330 3535 / 3683 for further details.

First published: 9 April 2003