Nanoscale patterning by manipulation of single C60 molecules with a scanning tunneling microscope

We report a new technique for inscribing characters, pictures and patterns on a nanometer scale by pin-point shooting at single C-60 molecules. An exact and sharp electron/hole injection precisely removes a single target C-60 molecule in the close-packed C-60 layer. This leaves a small dark void on the scanning tunneling microscope image. Furthermore, a pin-point shooting at a C-60 molecule adjacent to a void can cause the molecule to slide and fill up the void. Such a movement of a single C-60 molecule provides a new way for precisely recording characters, pictures and patterns on a nanometer scale. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.