Controlled manipulation of single atoms and small molecules with the scanning tunneling microscope

Abstract

We briefly survey our progress on manipulation of single atoms and small molecules and formation of prototypic nanostructures with our simple versatile temperature variable scanning tunneling microscope (STM). Lateral manipulation, i.e. sliding of species along the surface is demonstrated on the Cu(211) surface for carbon monoxide- and ethene-molecules, lead-atoms and lead-dimers. We show furthermore, that we can also manipulate substrate atoms and are even able to release native Cu-atoms from high coordinated substrate sites. Vertical manipulation, i.e. controlled transfer of species between tip and surface and vice versa is discussed for xenon atoms and propene molecules.