title: Single molecule and single atom sensors for atomic resolution imaging of chemically complex surfaces.
abstract: Individual Xe atoms as well as single CO and CH(4) molecules adsorbed at the tip apex of a scanning tunneling microscope (STM) function as microscopic force sensors that change the tunneling current in response to the forces acting from the surface. An STM equipped with any of these sensors is able to image the short-range Pauli repulsion and thus resolve the inner structure of large organic adsorbate molecules. Differences in the performance of the three studied sensors suggest that the sensor functionality can be tailored by tuning the interaction between the sensor particle and the STM tip.
authors.affiliation: Peter Grünberg Institut (PGI-3), Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany.
authors.forename: Georgy
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kichin
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Weiss
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wagner
authors.forename: F Stefan
authors.initials: FS
authors.lastname: Tautz
authors.forename: Ruslan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Temirov