The History of Chemistry

97: Moving Atoms

Steve Cohen Episode 97

Richard Feynman gave a lecture in 1959 on atomic ultraminiaturization.  We learn about Donald Eigler and Erhard Schweizer's work in 1989 to make that dream come true: moving individual atoms in a deliberate way on a surface. Then we hear of Eigler, Michael Crommie, and Christopher Lutz's continuation of this process to show quantum effects. Wilson Ho went even further and was able to detect spectroscopic differences between individual molecules.  We advance to hear of seeing electron orbitals, and then the smallest movie set ever.

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