Institute for Experimental and Applied Physics, Faculty of Physics, University of Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, Germany.
Chem Commun (Camb). 2011 Aug 28;47(32):9011-23. doi: 10.1039/c1cc11404b. Epub 2011 May 17.
It is well known that scanning probe techniques such as scanning tunnelling microscopy (STM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) routinely offer atomic scale information on the geometric and the electronic structure of solids. Recent developments in STM and especially in non-contact AFM have allowed imaging and spectroscopy of individual molecules on surfaces with unprecedented spatial resolution, which makes it possible to study chemistry and physics at the single molecule level. In this feature article, we first review the physical concepts underlying image contrast in STM and AFM. We then focus on the key experimental considerations and use selected examples to demonstrate the capabilities of modern day low-temperature scanning probe microscopy in providing chemical insight at the single molecule level.
众所周知，扫描探针技术（如扫描隧道显微镜（STM）和原子力显微镜（AFM））通常可提供有关固体几何和电子结构的原子级信息。STM 特别是非接触式 AFM 的最新发展使得对表面上单个分子的成像和光谱学具有前所未有的空间分辨率，这使得在单分子水平上研究化学和物理成为可能。在这篇专题文章中，我们首先回顾了 STM 和 AFM 中图像对比的物理概念。然后，我们将重点介绍关键的实验考虑因素，并使用选定的示例来展示现代低温扫描探针显微镜在提供单分子水平的化学洞察力方面的能力。
