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Rolling a single molecular wheel at the atomic scale

Nature Nanotechnology volume 2, pages 95–98 (2007)Cite this article

Abstract

The design of a single-molecule machine consisting of functional components requires a detailed understanding of its mechanical motion1,2. The scanning tunnelling microscope (STM) is the only available tool for driving and imaging such a nanoscale machine on a surface. Both lateral hopping motions and conformational changes of single molecules can be induced using the STM tip3,4. However, no rolling of a wheel has been demonstrated so far at the nanoscale, even though this is a very useful motion at the macroscopic scale. Here we show how the rolling of a single molecule equipped with two wheels (0.8 nm in diameter) can be induced by the STM tip. The characteristics of the rolling are recorded in the STM feedback loop manipulation signal and in real time. We capture unambiguous signatures of the conformational change happening during the rolling. Our approach of controlling the intramolecular mechanics provides a path towards the bottom-up assembly of more complex molecular machines.

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Figure 1: Molecules with two wheels (0.8 nm in diameter) for rolling.
Figure 2: Adsorption of molecular wheel-dimers on a Cu(110) surface.
Figure 3: Rolling and hopping of wheel-dimers by lateral manipulation with the STM tip.
Figure 4: Different lateral displacements according to rolling and hopping mechanisms.

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Acknowledgements

We acknowledge the European Integrated Project PICO INSIDE and the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) (contract no. GR 2697/1-1) for financial support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institut für Experimentalphysik, Freie Universität Berlin, Arnimallee 14, Berlin, 14195, Germany

    L. Grill, K.-H. Rieder & F. Moresco

  2. Nanosciences Group, CEMES-CNRS, 29 rue Jeanne Marvig, Toulouse, 31055, France

    G. Rapenne, S. Stojkovic, X. Bouju & C. Joachim

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  1. L. Grill
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  2. K.-H. Rieder
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  3. F. Moresco
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  4. G. Rapenne
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  5. S. Stojkovic
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  7. C. Joachim
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Contributions

L.G., K.-H.R., F.M., G.R. and C.J. conceived and designed the experiments. L.G. performed the experiments and analysed the data. G.R. synthesized the molecules and S.S., X.B. and C.J. were in charge of the theory and the STM image calculation. L.G. and C.J. co-wrote the paper.

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Correspondence to L. Grill.

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The authors declare no competing financial interests.

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Grill, L., Rieder, KH., Moresco, F. et al. Rolling a single molecular wheel at the atomic scale. Nature Nanotech 2, 95–98 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1038/nnano.2006.210

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