title: Molecular tips for scanning tunneling microscopy: intermolecular electron tunneling for single-molecule recognition and electronics.
abstract: This paper reviews the development of molecular tips for scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). Molecular tips offer many advantages: first is their ability to perform chemically selective imaging because of chemical interactions between the sample and the molecular tip, thus improving a major drawback of conventional STM. Rational design of the molecular tip allows sophisticated chemical recognition; e.g., chiral recognition and selective visualization of atomic defects in carbon nanotubes. Another advantage is that they provide a unique method to quantify electron transfer between single molecules. Understanding such electron transfer is mandatory for the realization of molecular electronics.
authors.affiliation: Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Research Center, Research Organization for the 21st Century, Osaka Prefecture University.
authors.forename: Tomoaki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nishino