Recording intramolecular mechanics during the manipulation of a large molecule - art. no. 088302

The technique of single atom manipulation by means of the scanning tunnelin g microscope (STM) applies to the controlled displacement of large molecule s. By a combined experimental and theoretical work, we show that in a const ant height mode of manipulation the STM current intensity carries detailed information on the internal mechanics of the molecule when guided by the ST M tip. Controlling and time following the intramolecular behavior of a larg e molecule on a surface is the first step towards the design of molecular t unnel-wired nanorobots.