NANOMACHINING, MANIPULATION AND FABRICATION BY FORCE MICROSCOPY

Force microscopy has been used to machine nanocrystals of MoO3 and man ipulate the resulting objects into new nanostructures. MoO3 nanocrysta ls were grown on the surfaces of MoS2 single crystals by controlled th ermal oxidation. These nanocrystals may be moved and modified with a f orce microscope by controlling the applied load. The atomic structure of the nanocrystal-substrate interface is shown to constrain the motio n of the nanocrystals to the lattice rows of the substrate, a phenomen on termed lattice-directed sliding. In addition, scanning in a directi on off this preferred sliding direction can be used to machine the MoO 3 thus making it possible to selectively move and modify these nanocry stals. Significantly, our ability to machine and manipulate the nanocr ystals has been exploited to fabricate interlocking nanostructures tha t can be reversibly assembled and disassembled.