IBM Scientists Take First Close-Up Image of a Single Molecule

By Clay Dillow Posted 08.27.2009 at 4:55 pm 13 Comments

Pentacene, Up Close: IBM Research - Zurich

As part of a greater effort to someday build computing elements at an atomic scale, IBM scientists in Zurich have taken the highest-resolution image ever of an individual molecule using non-contact atomic force microscopy. Performed in an ultrahigh vacuum at 5 degrees Kelvin, scientists were able to "to look through the electron cloud and see the atomic backbone of an individual molecule for the first time," a feat necessary for the further development of atomic scale electronic building blocks.

Atomic force microscopy employs a cantilever so small that its tip tapers to a nanoscale point. As the microscope scans, the cantilever bounces up and down in response to the miniscule forces between the tip and the sample, generating a picture of the sample’s surface. The pentacene molecule sampled consists of 22 carbon atoms and 14 hydrogen atoms and measures 1.4 nanometers in length, with the space between carbon atoms registering at 0.14 nanometers, or half a million times smaller than the diameter of a human hair.

Imaging Atoms: IBM researchers used atomic force microscopy to take the best image yet of a single molecule. IBM

The image should help researchers determine how charge moves through molecules and networks of molecules, which in turn could lead to breakthroughs in building computing elements at the atomic scale. As circuits grow smaller, it becomes harder and harder to break the sub-10-nanometer scale, a benchmark that several research groups are trying to reach. Breakthroughs in circuit board and semiconductor technology involving self-assembling DNA promise to deliver infinitesimally smaller circuits, but reaching atomic-scale computing has thus far eluded researchers.

Understanding the charge distribution of molecules could bring scientists a large step closer to cracking atomic scale computing, which could vastly reduce power consumption and fabrication costs.

[MIT Technology Review, CNET]

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13 Comments

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ordendelfai

08/27/09 at 6:24 pm

It's simply amazing to physically see how small our world really is.

Joel Seguin
www.linkedin.com/in/joelseguin
Business Intelligence / Analytics

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steven-t

08/28/09 at 8:32 pm

Wow. Pretty cool. It is amazing what we can do. I wonder if we will ever be able to see to the sub-atomic level.

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hotsteppermark

08/30/09 at 7:24 pm

That's great for I. B. M., however what does the scientists get out of it?

Mark Anthony Gonsalves

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bigb

08/30/09 at 8:29 pm

awesome

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dontbother

08/31/09 at 5:30 pm

4 days in, only 4 comments?? You'd think people'd be more excited! Then again, "WOO HOO, A MOLECULE!!"

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bvill8

08/31/09 at 9:28 pm

I don't believe it's possible to literally "see" a subatomic particle with any instrument as the wavelength of light is much larger than a subatomic particle. This image is about as close to it as you'll get.

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laurena2009

09/01/09 at 6:33 am

wow, it's great.

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dopplerthesexybeast

09/01/09 at 8:50 am

Sitting in genetics right now and reading this article instead of taking notes makes me giggle.

Alice Reilly
Department of Biology
Mercer University

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napoleansolo

09/01/09 at 12:56 pm

I've gotten images of individual gold atoms that are just as defined as this image. I don't know what kind of 'scope they're using at IBM, but I'd bet it was at least a few hundred thousand more than the one I used. The trusty Nanosurf Easy Scan, a bargain at $50k-$70k.

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Bozotheclone

09/01/09 at 10:21 pm

This may be picking at nits but you talk about thermodynamic temperatures as, for example, 5 Kelvin. You don't say degrees (this was changed around 1980.) FWIW.

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0roburos

09/05/09 at 7:47 pm

Next stop quarks..

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1174

09/05/09 at 8:21 pm

While we have seen some fine imagery of single atoms and even single electron clouds- the ability to see a molecule is in some ways harder- as electron microscopy can often times do physical damage to the weakly strong forces holding molecules together. As for our ability to ever visualize subatomic particles- well we can sometimes get a very good view of something without ever seeing it- by analyzing the influence it has imparted. I just find it nice that ball and stick models accurately portrait molecules when they where developed well over a century ago- way to go August Wilhelm von Hofmann

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Xspot

09/08/09 at 7:25 am

It should be possible to construct a hologram image of a molecule from data.

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