A hugely powerful new microscope has been installed at the AMBER materials science centre at Trinity College Dublin.
The instrument, which cost €5.7m, is the most powerful microscope in Ireland and will also be among the top ten most powerful in the world.
It can analyse single atoms and objects a million times smaller than a human hair.
Experts say the new microscope will be used to greatly improve the research capabilities of scientists here in a range of areas.
These include materials science, ICT, energy storage, pharmaceuticals, medical devices and diagnostics.
It uses a scanning beam which is focused down to the size of an atom, enabling scientists to investigate the behaviour of materials in a way never before possible in this country.
The unique device was paid for by Science Foundation Ireland, and is housed in a special room where the temperature does not move more than .1 of a degree Celsius in a 24-hour period.
In order to maintain its accuracy, it is also designed to be stable and not move more than half a millimetre over 100 years.
The microscope will also be used to help industry partners accelerate new innovations, and it is hoped its presence will encourage further research and development investment here.
