Building Nanostructures by Controlled Manipulation of Single Atoms and Molecules with the Scanning Tunneling Microscope

Abstract

AbstractOur present experiences in manipulating single atoms and molecules on solid surfaces by using the tip of a scanning tunneling microscope (STM) are reviewed. The construction and performance characteristics of our temperature variable STM is shortly described, which allows investigations in the temperature range between 15 and 300 K. As example for horizontal manipulation, in which the adatoms or admolecules are pulled along the surface by the STM tip, and the formation of man‐made surface structures, the formation of the letters ‘F’ and ‘U’, which form the logo of our university is presented. The adspecies used in these experiments are CO molecules and the substrate a Cu(211) surface. An example of vertical manipulation, in which an adparticle is picked up by the tip, carried to another place and released back to the surface, concerns Xe on the same substrate. The latter technique allows also to vary the chemical composition of the tip apex in a well‐defined manner. Consequences in imaging the surface with tips of different compositions are presented and discussed. Finally, STM observations of ordered high density phases of CO on the Cu(211) substrate are discussed.