Scanning probe microscopy articles within Nature Communications

Featured

• Article
  27 May 2016 | Open Access

  Mapping the electrostatic force field of single molecules from high-resolution scanning probe images

  The chemical properties of molecules are largely determined by the distribution of charge across them. Here, the authors demonstrate how the electrostatic force field, originating from the inhomogeneous charge distribution in a molecule, can be measured with sub-molecular resolution.

  • Prokop Hapala
  • , Martin Švec
  •  & Pavel Jelínek

• Article
  20 November 2015 | Open Access

  Imaging thermal conductivity with nanoscale resolution using a scanning spin probe

  Many aspects of energy flow in nanostructures are not well understood due to difficulties associated with resolution. Here, Laraoui et al. use a diamond-nanocrystal-hosted nitrogen vacancy centre as a nanoscale probe with atomic force microscopy to image thermal conductivity.

  • Abdelghani Laraoui
  • , Halley Aycock-Rizzo
  •  & Carlos A. Meriles

• Article
  29 September 2015 | Open Access

  Exciton dynamics of C₆₀-based single-photon emitters explored by Hanbury Brown–Twiss scanning tunnelling microscopy

  Electrons and holes trapped in a molecular crystal couple to form excitons. Here, the authors use scanning tunnelling microscopy to inject current with submolecular precision into structural defects in solid C₆₀and demonstrate single photon emission from the excitons trapped there.

  • P. Merino
  • , C. Große
  •  & K. Kern

• Article
  21 September 2015 | Open Access

  Atomically resolved real-space imaging of hot electron dynamics

  Hot electrons—electrons with very high kinetic energies—are important in many processes but difficult to observe due to their short lifetimes. Here, the authors analyse STM based nonlocal manipulation of organic molecules on a surface, showing that the measurements probe hot electron dynamics in real space.

  • D. Lock
  • , K. R. Rusimova
  •  & P. A. Sloan

• Article
  29 June 2015 | Open Access

  Atomic species identification at the (101) anatase surface by simultaneous scanning tunnelling and atomic force microscopy

  Anatase is a pivotal material in devices for energy-harvesting applications and catalysis. Here, Stetsovych et al. demonstrate the potential of simultaneously combining atomic force microscopy and scanning tunnelling microscopy to identify the atomic species populating the (101) surface of anatase.

  • Oleksandr Stetsovych
  • , Milica Todorović
  •  & Oscar Custance

• Article | 06 March 2015

  Spatial extent of a Landauer residual-resistivity dipole in graphene quantified by scanning tunnelling potentiometry

  Electron transport at the atom-level scale cannot be described by spatially averaged electric fields as it is in macroscopic systems. Here, the authors experimentally demonstrate the spatial extent of an atomically local scattering process that gives rise to resistivity in nanoscale devices.

  • Philip Willke
  • , Thomas Druga
  •  & Martin Wenderoth

• Article | 17 November 2014

  Nanoscale visualization of redox activity at lithium-ion battery cathodes

  It is important as well as challenging to map out redox activity at battery electrodes. Here, the authors present a scanning electrochemical cell microscope approach, which allows redox activity and ion flux processes at battery electrodes to be visualized with high space and time resolution.

  • Yasufumi Takahashi
  • , Akichika Kumatani
  •  & Tomokazu Matsue

• Article | 11 July 2014

  Mechanical gate control for atom-by-atom cluster assembly with scanning probe microscopy

  Nanoclusters supported on substrates are important for a range of applications, as well as of interest for their fundamental physics and chemistry. Here, the authors demonstrate the use of a scanning probe microscope for the assembly of nanoclusters on an atom-by-atom basis.

  • Yoshiaki Sugimoto
  • , Ayhan Yurtsever
  •  & Seizo Morita

• Article | 30 June 2014

  Wigner and Kondo physics in quantum point contacts revealed by scanning gate microscopy

  The electrical conductance across quantum point contacts shows quantum steps that are well understood except for some anomalies. Here, the authors are able to explain their origin in terms of spontaneously localized electron states by tuning the potential landscape of the contact with a scanning gate microscope.

  • B. Brun
  • , F. Martins
  •  & H. Sellier

• Article | 20 May 2014

  Probing charge screening dynamics and electrochemical processes at the solid–liquid interface with electrochemical force microscopy

  Voltage-modulated scanning probe microscopy may elucidate important processes at solid–liquid interfaces, but it is complicated by the presence of mobile ions. By incorporating force sensitivity into a multidimensional measurement approach, Collins et al.present a technique that overcomes these limitations.

  • Liam Collins
  • , Stephen Jesse
  •  & Brian J. Rodriguez

• Article | 03 January 2014

  Tuning the electron transport at single donors in zinc oxide with a scanning tunnelling microscope

  A gate electrode is normally required to perform tunable transport measurement via scanning tunnelling microscopy. Here, the authors use the tip of the microscope itself as the gate, inducing band bending in zinc oxide, and is used to study charging transitions, binding energies and vibrational excitations.

  • Hao Zheng
  • , Alexander Weismann
  •  & Richard Berndt

• Article | 24 January 2012

  Atom-specific spin mapping and buried topological states in a homologous series of topological insulators

  Strategies to tune the surface properties of topological insulators are essential, if they are to find use in applications. Using a combination of theoretical and experimental techniques, this study examines how the properties of ordered ternary topological insulators vary with the content of group IV elements.

  • Sergey V. Eremeev
  • , Gabriel Landolt
  •  & Evgueni V. Chulkov

• Article | 31 May 2011

  Experimental demonstration of low-loss optical waveguiding at deep sub-wavelength scales

  Metal-based nanostructures offer a solution to scale down photonics to the nanoscale. Sorgeret al. directly demonstrate waveguiding of ultra-small propagating waves at visible and near-infrared frequencies using NSOM imaging, with the potential for nanoscale photonic applications such as bio-sensing.

  • Volker J. Sorger
  • , Ziliang Ye
  •  & Xiang Zhang

• Article | 01 March 2011

  Imaging oxygen defects and their motion at a manganite surface

  Oxygen diffusion processes are critical for the catalytic action of manganites but a full understanding of these processes is elusive. The authors perform atomic resolution scanning tunnelling microscopy imaging of layered manganites and show oxygen and defect dynamics on these surfaces.

  • B. Bryant
  • , Ch. Renner
  •  & G. Aeppli