Advancement in the creation of nanostructures using Scanning tunneling Microscopes

Francesca Moresco and colleagues at Freie University in Berlin said the interaction between the tip of a STM and atoms or molecules bound to a surface can be used to construct impressive nanostructures, such as the quantum corral. The researchers said they combined STM manipulation techniques with the ability of a molecule to assemble nanostructures by sucking up and depositing atoms where needed. Moresco and colleagues say they go a step further by moving and organizing metal atoms on a substrate with the help of a well-designed six-leg organic molecule.

The research is detailed in the in the December issue of Nature Materials.