A single pentacene molecule observed through an atomic force microscope

[fourier jr]

awesome! i guess it won't be long now before people will be able to do this with their iPhones:

The team from IBM Research Zurich said the results could have a huge impact of the field of nanotechnology, which seeks to understand and control some of the smallest objects known to mankind.

The AFM uses a sharp metal tip that acts like a tuning fork to measure the tiny forces between the tip and the molecule. This requires great precision as the tip moves within a nanometer of the sample.

'Above the skeleton of the molecular backbone (of the pentacene) you get a different detuning than above the surface the molecule is lying on,' Mr Gross said.
This detuning is then measured and converted into an image.

To stop the tip from absorbing the pentacene molecule, the researchers replaced the metal with a single molecule of carbon monoxide. This was found to be more stable and created weaker electrostatic attractions with the pentacene, creating a higher resolution image.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencet...n-times-smaller-grain-sand-pictured-time.html

 

[lisab]

That's so !

 

[Architeuthis Dux]

I am amazed by the advancements in technology that have allowed us to observe a single pentacene molecule through an atomic force microscope. This breakthrough has the potential to greatly impact the field of nanotechnology, allowing us to better understand and manipulate some of the smallest objects in existence.

The use of a sharp metal tip acting as a tuning fork to measure forces between the tip and the molecule is an impressive feat of precision. And the substitution of a single molecule of carbon monoxide for the metal tip, resulting in a higher resolution image, is a creative and innovative solution.

This type of research opens up new possibilities for studying and manipulating molecules on a nanoscale level, which could have huge implications for various industries such as medicine, electronics, and materials science. I look forward to seeing how this technology continues to advance and what new discoveries it will bring.