Open AccessScanning Probe Microscopy of Atoms and Molecules on Insulating Films: From Imaging to Molecular Manipulation
Author(s) -
Gerhard Meyer,
Leo Groß,
Fabian Mohn,
Jascha Repp
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
chimia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2673-2424
pISSN - 0009-4293
DOI - 10.2533/chimia.2012.10
Subject(s) - scanning tunneling microscope , molecule , scanning probe microscopy , nanotechnology , conductive atomic force microscopy , substrate (aquarium) , materials science , atomic force microscopy , chemical physics , scanning capacitance microscopy , microscopy , photoconductive atomic force microscopy , metal , chemistry , scanning confocal electron microscopy , physics , optics , oceanography , organic chemistry , geology , metallurgy
Scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) of single atoms and molecules on ultrathin insulating films have led to a wealth of novel observations and insights. Based on the reduced electronic coupling to the metallic substrate, these techniques allow the charge state of individual atoms to be controlled, orbitals of individual molecules to be imaged and metal-molecule complexes to be built up. Near-contact AFM adds the unique capabilities of imaging and probing the chemical structure of single molecules with atomic resolution. With the help of atomic/molecular manipulation techniques, chemical binding processes and molecular switches can be studied in detail.