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Updated: Jul 26, 2026

Hand Controlled Manipulation of Single Molecules via a Scanning Probe Microscope with a 3D Virtual Reality Interface
Published on: October 2, 2016
Rotation of a single molecule within a supramolecular bearing
Gimzewski1, Joachim, Schlittler
1J. K. Gimzewski, R. R. Schlittler, V. Langlais, IBM Research Division, Zurich Research Laboratory, Saumerstrasse 4, 8803 Ruschlikon, Switzerland. C. Joachim and H. Tang, CEMES-CNRS, 29 rue J. Marvig, Boite Postale 4347, 31055 Toulouse.
Abstract:
Experimental visualization and verification of a single-molecule rotor operating within a supramolecular bearing is reported. Using a scanning tunneling microscope, single molecules were observed to exist in one of two spatially defined states laterally separated by 0.26 nanometers. One was identified as a rotating state and the other as an immobilized state. Calculations of the energy barrier for rotation of these two states show that it is below the thermal energy at room temperature for the rotating state and above it for the immobilized state.
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