Single-molecule chemistry

The ability to probe individual atoms and molecules have made it possible to reveal properties which otherwise would be hidden in the study of an ensemble of atoms and molecules. The scanning tunneling microscope (STM) with its unmatched spatial resolution and versatility literally allows us to touch atoms and molecules one at a time and to carry out experiments which previously were only imagined. One of the great attributes of the STM is that it provides a real space view of the individual molecules and the atomic landscape of their environment, thus removing many of the uncertainties surrounding the nature of the system under study. Combining its imaging, manipulation, spectroscopic characterization, and…