NANOSCALE MANIPULATION OF C-60 WITH A SCANNING TUNNELING MICROSCOPE

Scanning tunneling microscope has been employed for nanoscale manipula tion of C60 molecules on Si(111) clean surfaces at room temperature. I t was demonstrated that C60 molecules were positioned by moving indivi dual C60 molecules with a STM tip. There exists threshold height betwe en the tip and the Si surface for moving the molecules. The difference in the threshold height between tungsten tip and platinum-iridium all oy tip was estimated to be 0.16 nm from planar electrode model. The me chanism of moving C60 molecules with STM tip can be explained by atomi c forces between tip and molecule.