The year 1988 saw the birth of China's first self-developed scanning tunneling microscope, a critical device for imaging surfaces at the atomic level.

The instrument, designed by chemist Bai Chunli, a pioneer in the field of nanoscience and president of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, was named CSTM-9000. The development led to China's progress in molecular chemistry, and saved the extra expense for purchasing imported devices.

The first CSTM-9000 was donated to the National Museum of China in Beijing on Aug 14 by the Institute of Chemistry under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, to support the museum's effort to build up a systemic collection reflecting China's scientific advancements.