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APS » Journals » Phys. Rev. Lett. » Volume 87 » Issue 8
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Phys. Rev. Lett. 87, 088302 (2001) [4 pages]

Recording Intramolecular Mechanics during the Manipulation of a Large Molecule

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Francesca Moresco1, Gerhard Meyer1,2, Karl-Heinz Rieder1, Hao Tang3, André Gourdon3, and Christian Joachim3
1Institut für Experimentalphysik, Freie Universität Berlin, Arnimallee 14, D-14195 Berlin, Germany
2Paul Drude Institut für Festkörperelektronik, Hausvogteiplatz 5-7, D-10117 Berlin, Germany
3CEMES-CNRS, 29 rue J. Marvig, P.O. Box 4347, F-31055 Toulouse Cedex, France

Received 6 April 2001; published 2 August 2001

See accompanying Physics Focus

The technique of single atom manipulation by means of the scanning tunneling microscope (STM) applies to the controlled displacement of large molecules. By a combined experimental and theoretical work, we show that in a constant height mode of manipulation the STM current intensity carries detailed information on the internal mechanics of the molecule when guided by the STM tip. Controlling and time following the intramolecular behavior of a large molecule on a surface is the first step towards the design of molecular tunnel-wired nanorobots.

© 2001 The American Physical Society

URL:
http://link.aps.org/doi/10.1103/PhysRevLett.87.088302
DOI:
10.1103/PhysRevLett.87.088302
PACS:
82.37.Gk, 07.79.Cz, 85.65.+h
 
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