Asylum Research, a manufacturer of scanning probe and atomic force microscopy (SPM/AFM) equipment, has announced that it will conduct a tour throughout the UK and Ireland over the coming months to bring its Cypher AFM to leading universities across the region. Tapping/AC mode image shows calcite in water, 15-nm scan, 1-Å height scale. The point defects remained visible through several images, demonstrating Cypher’s true atomic resolution. Three legs of the Cypher Scan Tour in the UK will take place this fall with more dates to follow for next year (including Ireland). Each day’s agenda will include an initial presentation describing the Cypher AFM and its features, followed by an opportunity to “look inside the box” and really get to grips with its design. Attendees will then be able to see Cypher in action, with a demonstration of the capabilities of what the company says is the world’s highest resolution AFM, including closed-loop atomic resolution, fast scanning and advanced ease-of-use features such as SpotOn automatic laser and photodiode alignment. The afternoon session each day of the tour is open for imaging attendee’s samples. Three slots will be available each afternoon for attending groups to assess their own samples using their scanning modes of choice. The first three Scan Tour locations will be the University of Leeds (November 16 to 18), the London Centre for Nanotechnology (November 30 to December 2), and the University of Warwick (December 14 to 16). Registration is free and all interested parties are welcome. Attendance is limited, so early registration is recommended. “We are thrilled to be taking to the road with Cypher across the UK and Ireland,” said Chris Mulcahy, the managing director of Asylum Research UK Ltd. “The Scan Tour will be a great opportunity for all AFM users to see the world’s highest resolution AFM in action and, with several locations planned across the whole of the UK and Ireland in both 2010 and 2011, we’ll never be too far away.” For more information, visit: www.asylumresearch.com