Manipulation of single atoms by atomic force microscopy as a resonance effect

Extraction and deposition of single atoms using an atomic force microscope tip is a promising technique for building nanostructures. Previous theoretical models for this technique, based on adiabatic atom motion in either classical or quantum mechanics settings, encountered an apparent difficulty in explaining atom extraction and deposition for the same experimental conditions. We resolve that difficulty by showing that both extraction and deposition of atoms can be formulated in terms of pure classical mechanics as a resonance effect, arising from a combination of interatomic forces and vibrations of individual atoms.