Paul-Drude-Institut -Atom Manipulation

Single-atom manipulation by low-temperature scanning tunneling microscopy

Low-temperature scanning tunneling microscopy is used to investigate and control quantum phenomena in individual nanostructures on III-V semiconductor surfaces. This technique combines the capabilities of local spectroscopy, local excitation by inelastic electron tunneling, manipulation of single atoms and molecules, and atom-by-atom assembly of artificial structures with sub-angstrom accuracy. Model systems of interest include structures with predefined size, geometry and chemical composition consisting of a small number of atoms and/or molecules and range down to single atoms, atomic surface vacancies and molecules interacting with their solid-state environment. Our goal is to explore new functions based on switching and conduction processes, quantization effects, and magnetic behavior at the atomic scale. Our latest research activities include the construction of quantum dot assemblies (quantum dot “molecules”) and quantum rings whose electronic level structure has no intrinsic variation but can nonetheless be tuned over a wide range. In addition, we study single organic molecules and STM-engineered adatom-molecule complexes on semiconductors acting as binary switches and tunable single-molecule transistors.

Fig. 1. 3D-rendered STM image of a quantum dot molecule with threefold symmetry consisting of three 6-atom indium chains on InAs(111)A (left). The molecular symmetry is deliberately lifted by a stepwise displacement of the horizontal chain (right-hand side images).

Fig. 2. Gray-scale STM images showing the stepwise assembly of a hexagonal ring composed of 30 In adatoms on InAs(111)A with an interatomic spacing of 1.48 nm. For the completed ring (right-hand side image) tunneling spectroscopy measurements reveal the generic level structure of a quantum ring, including its single ground state and doubly degenerate excited states.

Selected Publications

10	Author	V. D. Pham , K. Kanisawa , S. Fölsch
	Title	Quantum rings engineered by atom manipulation
	Source	Phys. Rev. Lett. , 123 , 066801 ( 2019 )
DOI : 10.1103/PhysRevLett.123.066801 \| Download: PDF \| 3103 Cite : Bibtex RIS @article{ author = { V. D. Pham and K. Kanisawa and S. Fölsch }, title = { Quantum rings engineered by atom manipulation }, journal = { Physical Review Letters }, volume = { 123 }, year = { 2019 }, pages = { 066801 } } V. D. Pham, K. Kanisawa, and S. Fölsch TY - JOUR AU - V. D. Pham AU - K. Kanisawa AU - S. Fölsch TI - Quantum rings engineered by atom manipulation JF - Physical Review Letters JA - Phys. Rev. Lett. J1 - PRL VL - 123 SP - 066801 PY - 2019/08/06

9	Author	Y. Pan , K. Kanisawa , N. Ishikawa , S. Fölsch
	Title	Scanning tunnelling spectroscopy and manipulation of double-decker phthalocyanine molecules on a semiconductor surface
	Source	J. Phys.: Condens. Matter , 29 , 364001 ( 2017 )
DOI : 10.1088/1361-648X/aa7dc4 \| 2919 Cite : Bibtex RIS @article{ author = { Y. Pan and K. Kanisawa and N. Ishikawa and S. Fölsch }, title = { Scanning tunnelling spectroscopy and manipulation of double-decker phthalocyanine molecules on a semiconductor surface }, journal = { Journal of Physics: Condensed Matter }, volume = { 29 }, year = { 2017 }, pages = { 364001 } } Y. Pan, K. Kanisawa, N. Ishikawa, and S. Fölsch TY - JOUR AU - Y. Pan AU - K. Kanisawa AU - N. Ishikawa AU - S. Fölsch TI - Scanning tunnelling spectroscopy and manipulation of double-decker phthalocyanine molecules on a semiconductor surface JF - Journal of Physics: Condensed Matter JA - J. Phys.: Condens. Matter J1 - JPCM VL - 29 SP - 364001 PY - 2017/08/07

8	Author	Y. Pan , K. Kanisawa , S. Fölsch
	Title	Creating and probing quantum dot molecules with the scanning tunneling microscope
	Source	JVST B , 35 , 04F102 ( 2017 )
DOI : 10.1116/1.4979848 \| 2898 Cite : Bibtex RIS @article{ author = { Y. Pan and K. Kanisawa and S. Fölsch }, title = { Creating and probing quantum dot molecules with the scanning tunneling microscope }, journal = { Journal of Vacuum Science and Tchnology B }, volume = { 35 }, year = { 2017 }, pages = { 04F102 } } Y. Pan, K. Kanisawa, and S. Fölsch TY - JOUR AU - Y. Pan AU - K. Kanisawa AU - S. Fölsch TI - Creating and probing quantum dot molecules with the scanning tunneling microscope JF - Journal of Vacuum Science and Tchnology B JA - JVST B J1 - VL - 35 SP - 04F102 PY - 2017/04/10

7	Author	Y. Pan , J. Yang , S. C. Erwin , K. Kanisawa , S. Fölsch
	Title	Reconfigurable quantum-dot molecules created by atom manipulation
	Source	Phys. Rev. Lett. , 115 , 076803 ( 2015 )
DOI : 10.1103/PhysRevLett.115.076803 \| Download: PDF \| 2718 Cite : Bibtex RIS @article{ author = { Y. Pan and J. Yang and S. C. Erwin and K. Kanisawa and S. Fölsch }, title = { Reconfigurable quantum-dot molecules created by atom manipulation }, journal = { Physical Review Letters }, volume = { 115 }, year = { 2015 }, pages = { 076803 } } Y. Pan, J. Yang, S. C. Erwin, K. Kanisawa, and S. Fölsch TY - JOUR AU - Y. Pan AU - J. Yang AU - S. C. Erwin AU - K. Kanisawa AU - S. Fölsch TI - Reconfigurable quantum-dot molecules created by atom manipulation JF - Physical Review Letters JA - Phys. Rev. Lett. J1 - PRL VL - 115 SP - 076803 PY - 2015/08/14

6	Author	J. Martinez-Blanco , C. Nacci , S.C. Erwin , K. Kanisawa , E. Locane , M. Thomas , F. von Oppen , P.W. Brouwer , S. Fölsch
	Title	Gating a single-molecule transistor with individual atoms
	Source	Nature Phys. , 11 , 640 ( 2015 )
DOI : 10.1038/nphys3385 \| 2700 Cite : Bibtex RIS @article{ author = { J. Martinez-Blanco and C. Nacci and S.C. Erwin and K. Kanisawa and E. Locane and M. Thomas and F. von Oppen and P.W. Brouwer and S. Fölsch }, title = { Gating a single-molecule transistor with individual atoms }, journal = { Nature Physics }, volume = { 11 }, year = { 2015 }, pages = { 640 } } J. Martinez-Blanco, C. Nacci, S.C. Erwin, K. Kanisawa, E. Locane, M. Thomas, F. von Oppen, P.W. Brouwer, and S. Fölsch TY - JOUR AU - J. Martinez-Blanco AU - C. Nacci AU - S.C. Erwin AU - K. Kanisawa AU - E. Locane AU - M. Thomas AU - F. von Oppen AU - P.W. Brouwer AU - S. Fölsch TI - Gating a single-molecule transistor with individual atoms JF - Nature Physics JA - Nature Phys. J1 - VL - 11 SP - 640 PY - 2015/07/31

5	Author	S. Fölsch , J. Martinez-Blanco , J. Yang , K. Kanisawa , S. C. Erwin
	Title	Quantum dots with single-atom precision
	Source	Nature Nanotechnol. , 9 , 505 ( 2014 )
DOI : 10.1038/NNANO.2014.129 \| 2491 Cite : Bibtex RIS @article{ author = { S. Fölsch and J. Martinez-Blanco and J. Yang and K. Kanisawa and S. C. Erwin }, title = { Quantum dots with single-atom precision }, journal = { Nature Nanotechnology }, volume = { 9 }, year = { 2014 }, pages = { 505 } } S. Fölsch, J. Martinez-Blanco, J. Yang, K. Kanisawa, and S. C. Erwin TY - JOUR AU - S. Fölsch AU - J. Martinez-Blanco AU - J. Yang AU - K. Kanisawa AU - S. C. Erwin TI - Quantum dots with single-atom precision JF - Nature Nanotechnology JA - Nature Nanotechnol. J1 - VL - 9 SP - 505 PY - 2014/06/29

4	Author	J. Yang , C. Nacci , J. Martinez-Blanco , K. Kanisawa , S. Fölsch
	Title	Vertical manipulation of native adatoms on the InAs(111)A surface
	Source	J. Phys.: Condens. Matter , 24 , 354008 ( 2012 )
2308 Cite : Bibtex RIS @article{ author = { J. Yang and C. Nacci and J. Martinez-Blanco and K. Kanisawa and S. Fölsch }, title = { Vertical manipulation of native adatoms on the InAs(111)A surface }, journal = { Journal of Physics: Condensed Matter }, volume = { 24 }, year = { 2012 }, pages = { 354008 } } J. Yang, C. Nacci, J. Martinez-Blanco, K. Kanisawa, and S. Fölsch TY - JOUR AU - J. Yang AU - C. Nacci AU - J. Martinez-Blanco AU - K. Kanisawa AU - S. Fölsch TI - Vertical manipulation of native adatoms on the InAs(111)A surface JF - Journal of Physics: Condensed Matter JA - J. Phys.: Condens. Matter J1 - JPCM VL - 24 SP - 354008 PY - 2012/01/01

3	Author	C. Nacci , S. C. Erwin , K. Kanisawa , S. Fölsch
	Title	Controlled switching within an organic molecule deliberately pinned to a semiconductor surface
	Source	ACS Nano , 6 , 4190 ( 2012 )
2300 Cite : Bibtex RIS @article{ author = { C. Nacci and S. C. Erwin and K. Kanisawa and S. Fölsch }, title = { Controlled switching within an organic molecule deliberately pinned to a semiconductor surface }, journal = { ACS Nano }, volume = { 6 }, year = { 2012 }, pages = { 4190 } } C. Nacci, S. C. Erwin, K. Kanisawa, and S. Fölsch TY - JOUR AU - C. Nacci AU - S. C. Erwin AU - K. Kanisawa AU - S. Fölsch TI - Controlled switching within an organic molecule deliberately pinned to a semiconductor surface JF - ACS Nano JA - ACS Nano J1 - VL - 6 SP - 4190 PY - 2012/01/01

2	Author	J. Yang , S. C. Erwin , K. Kanisawa , C. Nacci , S. Fölsch
	Title	Emergent multistability in assembled nanostructures
	Source	Nano Lett. , 11 , 2486 ( 2011 )
2210 Cite : Bibtex RIS @article{ author = { J. Yang and S. C. Erwin and K. Kanisawa and C. Nacci and S. Fölsch }, title = { Emergent multistability in assembled nanostructures }, journal = { Nano Letters }, volume = { 11 }, year = { 2011 }, pages = { 2486 } } J. Yang, S. C. Erwin, K. Kanisawa, C. Nacci, and S. Fölsch TY - JOUR AU - J. Yang AU - S. C. Erwin AU - K. Kanisawa AU - C. Nacci AU - S. Fölsch TI - Emergent multistability in assembled nanostructures JF - Nano Letters JA - Nano Lett. J1 - VL - 11 SP - 2486 PY - 2011/01/01

1	Author	S. Fölsch , J. Yang , C. Nacci , K. Kanisawa
	Title	Atom-by-atom quantum state control in adatom chains on a semiconductor
	Source	Phys. Rev. Lett. , 103 , 096104 ( 2009 )
Download: PDF \| 2010 Cite : Bibtex RIS @article{ author = { S. Fölsch and J. Yang and C. Nacci and K. Kanisawa }, title = { Atom-by-atom quantum state control in adatom chains on a semiconductor }, journal = { Physical Review Letters }, volume = { 103 }, year = { 2009 }, pages = { 096104 } } S. Fölsch, J. Yang, C. Nacci, and K. Kanisawa TY - JOUR AU - S. Fölsch AU - J. Yang AU - C. Nacci AU - K. Kanisawa TI - Atom-by-atom quantum state control in adatom chains on a semiconductor JF - Physical Review Letters JA - Phys. Rev. Lett. J1 - PRL VL - 103 SP - 096104 PY - 2009/01/01

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Single-atom manipulation by low-temperature scanning tunneling microscopy

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