title: Toggling the Local Electric Field with an Embedded Adatom Switch.
abstract: By means of scanning probe microscopy we demonstrate that Au(+) on NaCl films adsorbs in an embedded, slightly off-centered Cl-Cl bridge position and can be switched between two equivalent mirror-symmetric configurations using the attractive force exerted by a scanning probe tip. Density functional theory calculations demonstrate that the displacement of the Au atom from the centered position of the bridge configuration is accompanied by a large lifting of the closest Cl atom leading to significant changes in the local electrostatic field. Our findings suggest that Au(+) can be used to toggle the local electrostatic field.
authors.affiliation: †IBM Research-Zurich, 8803 Rüschlikon, Switzerland.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Steurer
authors.affiliation: †IBM Research-Zurich, 8803 Rüschlikon, Switzerland.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Schuler
authors.affiliation: †IBM Research-Zurich, 8803 Rüschlikon, Switzerland.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Pavliček
authors.affiliation: †IBM Research-Zurich, 8803 Rüschlikon, Switzerland.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gross
authors.affiliation: ‡Surface Science Research Centre and Department of Chemistry, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3BX, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Scivetti
authors.affiliation: ‡Surface Science Research Centre and Department of Chemistry, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3BX, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Persson
authors.affiliation: †IBM Research-Zurich, 8803 Rüschlikon, Switzerland.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Meyer
keywords: Atomic switch; Au adatom; atomic manipulation; density functional theory; insulating films; scanning probe microscopy