Controlled Atom by Atom Restructuring of a Metal Surface with the Scanning Tunneling Microscope

Gerhard Meyer, Ludwig Bartels, Sven Zöphel, Erdmuth Henze, and Karl-Heinz Rieder
Phys. Rev. Lett. 78, 1512 – Published 24 February 1997
PDFExport Citation

Abstract

We report the ability to completely restructure a metal surface by precision manipulation of individual atoms with the scanning tunneling microscope: Besides extracting atoms from kink sites on Cu(211) we are now also able to “dig out” atoms from the even more strongly bound intrinsic step sites and thus to create adatom-vacancy pairs. Together with the processes of moving adatoms along and across intrinsic step edges and the possibility of healing out adatom-vacancy pairs, we have a complete set of lateral manipulation processes at hand. The reliability of all these processes opens up exciting “engineering” possibilities for structuring of extended surface areas.

  • Received 18 November 1996

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.78.1512

©1997 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

Gerhard Meyer, Ludwig Bartels, Sven Zöphel, Erdmuth Henze, and Karl-Heinz Rieder

  • Institut für Experimentalphysik, Freie Universität Berlin, Arnimallee 14, D-14195 Berlin, Germany

References (Subscription Required)

Click to Expand
Issue

Vol. 78, Iss. 8 — 24 February 1997

Reuse & Permissions
Access Options
Author publication services for translation and copyediting assistance advertisement

Authorization Required


×
×

Images

×

Sign up to receive regular email alerts from Physical Review Letters

Log In

Cancel
×

Search


Article Lookup

Paste a citation or DOI

Enter a citation
×