Chasing memory breakthroughs at IBM Almaden

This old can of AriZona Iced Tea, which can also be seen in the first photo, serves as a housing that increases the vacuum inside the microscope.

Preparing a sample for observation is a complex process, Heinrich said. First, a substrate has to be scraped and cleaned. Then, it gets heated up to 1,000°, which lets the atoms shift and form a smooth surface. Vacuums then eliminate impurities and other items. Pictured are the preparation and staging components.