About us

Nanotec Electronica develops Scanning Probe Microscopes (SPM) with the best quality and the latest technology in the field, providing both scientific and industrial communities easy access to the nanometer scale. Nanotec Electrónica also designs and manufactures control systems for Scanning Probe Microscopes. In the software sector, we have developed the free WSxM software for data visualization and processing of SPM images, and distribute the SIESTA DFT software for first principle calculations.

In the 20 years since the first implementation of an STM microscope in Madrid, many new ideas have been developed by the SPM community. As a result, SPMs are now one of the main tools for Nanotechnology. Nanotec Electrónica develops products at the cutting edge of Nanotechnology and offers the most flexible and powerful SPM system on the market.

The Beginning

In 1981, Heinrich Rohrer and Gerd Karl Binnig invented the first Scanning Tunneling Microscope (STM) at the IBM Research Center in Zurich. In 1983-84, Professor Arturo Baro from the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM) spent a sabbatical at IBM Zurich and learned firsthand about the construction and operation of STMs. As a result of this collaboration, H. Rohrer installed the first STM in Spain in 1984. Both Binnig and Rohrer were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1986 because of this invention.

From that moment, Professor Arturo Baro's group in Madrid started working on the development of the Scanning Tunneling Microscope and quickly achieved world-wide reputation in this new research field. Professor Baro's group was naturally very interested when the invention of the Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) in 1986 created a new line in Scanning Probe Microscopy development. Instead of making a choice between the two emerging areas, Professor Baro's laboratory continued in both directions, developing electronics, software and mechanics for both AFM and STM systems.

The creation

By 1998, the microscopes from Professor Baro's laboratory were very advanced. Since the interest in the field continued to grow at a rapid pace, there were several companies formed to manufacture scanning probe microscopes. Professor Baro's laboratory was also providing UAM scanning probe microscopes for non-profit collaboration with other university groups throughout the world. Because of the high prices that commercial companies were charging for their equipment, the Spanish research community found it difficult to purchase new research-grade SPMs. It was at this moment that Nanotec Electronica was born.

Professor Arturo Baro, together with three researchers form the UAM labs, Jaime Colchero, Julio Gomez and Jose Maria Gomez, started up a new company, Nanotec Electronica, for the manufacture and sale of Scanning Probe Microscopes. Because of the extensive research base at UAM, the young company was manufacturing very competitive AFMs and electronics for STM control from the very beginning. The high quality of this instrumentation resulted in outside recognition and Professor Arturo Baro was awarded the Madrid Research Prize in 1998.

Nanotec today

               

Since 1998, the new Nanotec Electronica company began ambitious projects with the target of obtaining a leading position in the market of Scanning Probe Microscopy. Their investments in research and development combined with high quality products were amplified by innovative collaborations with many research groups world-wide. These are contributing factors that have allowed Nanotec Electronica to grow continuously, and to sell SPM systems all around the world.

Nanotec Electronica's leadership role in SPM research was secured with the development of WSxM software, which is available for free downloading from the Nanotec web site. From the start, there has been a driving force in that WSxM should be useful to ANY SPM scientist, as it can read virtually every SPM file format introduced world-wide. Today, it is the easiest to use and the most powerful SPM image processing and microscope control software developed.

Nanotec Electronica products have also enjoyed a rapid evolution because of the design of Dulcinea, a versatile and flexible control electronics capable of operating any SPM. Dulcinea incorporates all the expected features in an SPM control system as well as including many new techniques to enable novel SPM experiments. The result of this evolution in control electronics has led to modularity and flexibility in the SPM head itself. The Cervantes AFM combines the highest stability with a great versatility, allowing almost any possible measurement that an SPM can offer and successfully addresses the requirements of surface science, biology, semiconductors, magnetism, and nanoscale conductivity.

Nanotec Electronica is also a Representative of Piezojena, Halcyonics and Nanoandmore in Spain. For more information about their products, please go to Nanotec Products