Sowerby S J, Petersen G B
Department of Biochemistry, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.
Orig Life Evol Biosph. 1999 Dec;29(6):597-614. doi: 10.1023/a:1006619915681.
The development of scanning tunnelling microscopy (STM) has allowed examination of inorganic crystalline surfaces and their interactions with organic adsorbates with unparalleled resolution. As a novel technique in origin of life studies, the application of STM is detailed with particular attention paid to the methods employed in the analysis of organic monolayer structures. STM imaging and molecular modelling of self-assembled monolayers of the purine base, xanthine, formed on the surfaces of graphite and molybdenum disulfide are presented as an example. The putative role of such structures in the origin of life is discussed.
扫描隧道显微镜（STM）的发展使得人们能够以无与伦比的分辨率研究无机晶体表面及其与有机吸附物的相互作用。作为生命起源研究中的一项新技术，本文详细介绍了STM的应用，并特别关注了用于分析有机单层结构的方法。以在石墨和二硫化钼表面形成的嘌呤碱黄嘌呤的自组装单层的STM成像和分子建模为例进行了阐述。同时讨论了此类结构在生命起源中可能扮演的角色。
