Unique determination of "subatomic" contrast by imaging covalent backbonding.

Sweetman, Adam; Rahe, Philipp; Moriarty, Philip · Nano Lett · 2014

basic_science · Level V

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Abstract

The origin of so-called "subatomic" resolution in dynamic force microscopy has remained controversial since its first observation in 2000. A number of detailed experimental and theoretical studies have identified different possible physicochemical mechanisms potentially giving rise to subatomic contrast. In this study, for the first time we are able to assign the origin of a specific instance of subatomic contrast as being due to the back bonding of a surface atom in the tip-sample junction.