October 17, 2003

Atom

Artists: C.P. Lutz and D.M. Eigler

Reference:

M.F. Crommie, C.P. Lutz, D.M. Eigler. Confinement of electrons to quantum corrals on a metal surface. Science 262, 218-220 (1993).

Description:

The Kanji characters for "atom." The literal translation is something like "original child."  This image was formed by using the tiny tip of an STM (Scanning Tunneling Microscope) to pick up individual atoms of iron and place them on a copper (111) surface.