Nanometrology research. Physicist using a surface texture measuring instrument, which measures the area of materials on the scale of nanometres (billionths of a metre). This machine uses a laser interferometer to accurately measure the size of an object and a stylus (a pen-like device) to analyse the object's surface topography (shape). Nanometrology has a crucial role in producing nanomaterials and devices (nanomanufacturing) with the highest degree of accuracy and reliability achievable. Photographed at the National Physical Laboratory in Teddington, UK.