title: Toggling bistable atoms via mechanical switching of bond angle.
abstract: We reversibly switch the state of a bistable atom by direct mechanical manipulation of bond angle using a dynamic force microscope. Individual buckled dimers at the Si(100) surface are flipped via the formation of a single covalent bond, actuating the smallest conceivable in-plane toggle switch (two atoms) via chemical force alone. The response of a given dimer to a flip event depends critically on both the local and nonlocal environment of the target atom-an important consideration for future atomic scale fabrication strategies.
authors.affiliation: The School of Physics and Astronomy, The University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Adam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sweetman
authors.forename: Sam
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jarvis
authors.forename: Rosanna
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Danza
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bamidele
authors.forename: Subhashis
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gangopadhyay
authors.forename: Gordon A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Shaw
authors.forename: Lev
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kantorovich
authors.forename: Philip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Moriarty