This paper is a review of the research work of the Yoshida Nano‐Mechanism Project which recently concluded its 5 year activity. The project was organized into three different research groups. The basic analysis group worked on development of scanning tunneling microscopes and their applications to processed surfaces and biological materials, and on making zone plates more efficient for X‐ray microscopy. The measurement and control group concentrated its research on displacement measurements and positioning devices. Finally, the processing group studied multilayers for X‐ray mirrors and ion beam processing for the production of super smooth surfaces.