Temperature control of electronic channels through a single atom.

Abstract

The elastic electronic channels through a single hydrogen atom adsorbed on a Ge(111)-c(2 x 8) surface have been investigated by scanning tunneling microscopy and I(V) spectroscopy, whereas inelastic channels have been probed by the vertical and horizontal manipulation of individual hydrogen atoms. The substrate temperature, over the range 30-300 K, has proven to be a powerful parameter to freeze specific electronic channels, offering the possible control of elastic and inelastic channels through a single atom. This opens up very interesting perspectives for controlling the operation of nanodevices.