Fabrication of Atomic-Scale Quantum Structures
Using SPM for controlled single-molecule and atom manipulation, we search for new ways of fabricating surface structures whose quantum properties can be exploited for fundamental studies of quantum entanglement, possibly leading to future applications in quantum technology.
To this purpose, we perform single-molecule manipulation experiments with our qPlus tuning fork non-contact atomic force microscope (NC-AFM) [1, 2, 3]. We also develop new approaches which make single-molecule manipulation more intuitive and efficient [4, 5]. Our efforts have resulted in the discovery of a new technique for imaging of surface electrostatic potentials. Furthermore, we have fabricated a single-electron field emitter from a molecule and two atoms. This device is one of the most compact double-slit experiments ever made [6].