Physicists at Loughborough University have used cutting-edge nanotechnology to create what they believe may be ‘the world’s smallest violin’, which is small enough to fit within the width of a human hair.
The 'world's smallest violin' created by Loughborough University physicists. Image Credit: Loughborough University
The violin is made of platinum and measures just 35 microns long and 13 microns wide, with a micron being one millionth of a meter. For size comparison, a human hair typically ranges from 17 to 180 microns in diameter, and the much-loved microscopic creatures known as tardigrades measure between 50 to 1,200 microns.
The miniature violin was created as a test project to demonstrate the capabilities of the University’s new nanolithography system – an advanced suite of technology that enables researchers to build and study structures at the nanoscale. The system will support a variety of research projects aimed at identifying new materials and methods for developing the next generation of computing devices.
“Though creating the world’s smallest violin may seem like fun and games, a lot of what we’ve learned in the process has actually laid the groundwork for the research we’re now undertaking”, said Professor Kelly Morrison, Head of the Physics department and an expert in experimental physics.
“Our nanolithography system allows us to design experiments that probe materials in different ways – using light, magnetism, or electricity – and observe their responses. Once we understand how materials behave, we can start applying that knowledge to develop new technologies, whether it's improving computing efficiency or finding new ways to harvest energy.
“But first, we need to understand the fundamental science and this system enables us to do just that.”
Why a Violin?
The team created the nanoscale violin as a playful reference to the well-known pop culture phrase, “Can you hear the world’s smallest violin playing just for you?” – typically used to mock exaggerated complaints or overly dramatic reactions. The phrase is often accompanied by a hand gesture mimicking someone playing a tiny violin between their thumb and forefinger.
The expression is thought to have first appeared on television in the 1970s, popularized by the show M*A*S*H, and has remained part of pop culture thanks to appearances in more recent shows like SpongeBob SquarePants, as well as a deep-dive into its origin by ClassicFM.
The Loughborough violin is a microscopic image rather than a playable instrument, and while it hasn’t been confirmed by any official channels as the world’s smallest violin, one thing is clear: it’s very small.
How Was it Made?
At the heart of Loughborough University’s nanotechnology system – which spans an entire laboratory – is the NanoFrazor, a cutting-edge nano-sculpting machine from Heidelberg Instruments. It uses thermal scanning probe lithography, a technique where a heated, needle-like tip ‘writes’ highly precise patterns at the nanoscale.
To create the violin, Professor Morrison - with support from Dr Naëmi Leo and research technician Dr Arthur Coveney - began by coating a small chip with two layers of a gel-like material called a resist. This coated chip was then placed under the NanoFrazor, which used its heated tip to burn the violin pattern into the surface layer.
After the design was etched, the resist was developed by dissolving the exposed underlayer to leave behind a violin-shaped cavity. A thin layer of platinum was then deposited onto the chip, and a final rinse in acetone removed the remaining material to reveal the finished violin.
The system is fully enclosed using a glovebox and a suite of interconnected chambers as it is essential to keep moisture and dust from impacting sensitive research. To maintain these controlled conditions, the chip was carefully moved between chambers using small metal arms operated from the outside.
It takes around three hours to create a violin using the nanolithography system, though the team's final version took several months as they refined and tested different techniques.
The finished piece is no larger than a speck of dust on the chip and can only be viewed in detail using a microscope.
How the Nanolithography System is Powering New Research
Two Loughborough University research projects are already underway using the nanolithography system. One is exploring alternatives to magnetic data storage, and another investigating how heat can be used for faster and more energy-efficient data storage and processing.
“I’m really excited about the level of control and possibilities we have with the set-up,” said Professor Kelly Morrison, “I’m looking forward to seeing what I can achieve – but also what everyone else can do with the system.”
The creation of ‘the world’s smallest violin’ has been documented in a new video, which can be viewed above or on YouTube. Professor Morrison has also published a blog post on the creation of the violin.
Making of the World’s Smallest Violin – You Won’t Believe the Size! 🎻
Video Credit: Loughborough University