World's smallest QR code, read via electron microscope, earns Guinness recognition

• Just how small can a QR code be? • Small enough that it can only be recognized with an electron microscope. • A research team at TU Wien, working together with the data storage technology company Cerabyte, has now demonstrated exactly that. • The QR code covers an area of just 1.98 square micrometers-smaller than most bacteria. • The record has now been verified and officially entered into the Guinness World Records.

Article Summaries:

• Just how small can a QR code be? Small enough that it can only be recognized with an electron microscope. A research team at TU Wien, working together with the data storage technology company Cerabyte, has now demonstrated exactly that. The QR code covers an area of just 1.98 square micrometers-smaller than most bacteria. The record has now been verified and officially entered into the Guinness World Records.

Sources:

• https://phys.org/news/2026-02-world-smallest-qr-code-electron.html