StrangeSox Posted September 3, 2009 Share Posted September 3, 2009 A single pentacene molecule was imaged by the team at IBM Research Zurich, for the first time with enough resolution to make out the atomic layout. This was done using an atomic force microscope, and here are the results: Compared to the typical cartoon drawing you'd find in textbooks: Article here. A description of the Atomic Force Microscope from the article: The AFM uses a sharp metal tip that acts like a tuning fork to measure the tiny forces between the tip and the molecule. This requires great precision as the tip moves within a nanometer of the sample. 'Above the skeleton of the molecular backbone (of the pentacene) you get a different detuning than above the surface the molecule is lying on,' Mr Gross said. This detuning is then measured and converted into an image. To stop the tip from absorbing the pentacene molecule, the researchers replaced the metal with a single molecule of carbon monoxide. This was found to be more stable and created weaker electrostatic attractions with the pentacene, creating a higher resolution image. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve9347 Posted September 3, 2009 Share Posted September 3, 2009 That's pretty f***ing cool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlaSoxxJim Posted September 3, 2009 Share Posted September 3, 2009 Weird Science!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Milkman delivers Posted September 3, 2009 Share Posted September 3, 2009 That picture makes me dizzy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chisoxfn Posted September 3, 2009 Share Posted September 3, 2009 So what type of new things can be done because of this finding? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StrangeSox Posted September 3, 2009 Author Share Posted September 3, 2009 I dunno. It's still at the basic research level. It confirms the theory of the shape of the molecule, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southsider2k5 Posted September 3, 2009 Share Posted September 3, 2009 "so now that the search for Jason Gage's penis has been completed, scientists will now move on to trying to find other mythical creatures, such as Big Foot and the Loch Ness Monster." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StrangeSox Posted September 3, 2009 Author Share Posted September 3, 2009 ouch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balta1701 Posted September 3, 2009 Share Posted September 3, 2009 This doesn't strike me as that interesting. You can see planes of molecules using TEM, for example. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattZakrowski Posted September 4, 2009 Share Posted September 4, 2009 (edited) Picture's kinda of blurry... way to drop the ball nerds. Edited September 4, 2009 by MattZakrowski Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texsox Posted September 4, 2009 Share Posted September 4, 2009 QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Sep 3, 2009 -> 03:26 PM) "so now that the search for Jason Gage's penis has been completed, scientists will now move on to trying to find other mythical creatures, such as Big Foot and the Loch Ness Monster." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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