title: Atom inlays performed at room temperature using atomic force microscopy.
abstract: The ability to manipulate single atoms and molecules laterally for creating artificial structures on surfaces is driving us closer to the ultimate limit of two-dimensional nanoengineering. However, experiments involving this level of manipulation have been performed only at cryogenic temperatures. Scanning tunnelling microscopy has proved, so far, to be a unique tool with all the necessary capabilities for laterally pushing, pulling or sliding single atoms and molecules, and arranging them on a surface at will. Here we demonstrate, for the first time, that it is possible to perform well-controlled lateral manipulations of single atoms using near-contact atomic force microscopy even at room temperature. We report the creation of 'atom inlays', that is, artificial atomic patterns formed from a few embedded atoms in the plane of a surface. At room temperature, such atomic structures remain stable on the surface for relatively long periods of time.
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Engineering of Osaka University, 2-1 Yamada-Oka, Suita, 565-0871, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoshiaki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sugimoto
authors.forename: Masayuki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Abe
authors.forename: Shinji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hirayama
authors.forename: Noriaki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Oyabu
authors.forename: Oscar
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Custance
authors.forename: Seizo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Morita