ATOMIC HOP-SCOTCH - DIFFERENT MANIPULATION MODES OF SINGLE CU ATOMS ON CU(111)

Single Cu atoms manipulated with a STM-tip at low temperatures across a Cu(lll) surface reveal movement patterns which closely resemble clas sical movement of e.g. ping-pong balls on a muffin tin. Being pulled b y the tip, they hop from one adsite to the next in a variety of patter ns, whereby they can even occupy intermediate sites off the direct lin e of their movement, if the tip-atom force is chosen in the appropriat e range. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V.