Controlled manipulation of single atoms and small molecules using the scanning tunnelling microscope

Abstract

This article reviews manipulation of single molecules by scanning tunnelling microscopes, in particular vertical manipulation, lateral manipulation, and inelastic electron tunnelling (IET) manipulation. For a better understanding of these processes, we shortly review imaging by scanning tunnelling microscopy – as a prerequisite to detect the manipulated species and to verify the result of the manipulation – as well as scanning tunnelling spectroscopy and IET spectroscopy which are used to chemically identify the molecules before and after the manipulation that employs the tunnelling current.