IBM (atoms)
| Industry | Technology, Research and Development |
|---|---|
| Founded | June 16, 1911 |
| Headquarters | Armonk , United States |
| Website | www |
IBM in atoms was a 1989 presentation by IBM researchers demonstrating the ability to control single atoms. Utilizing a scanning tunneling microscope, they arranged 35 xenon atoms on a cooled nickel crystal surface to form the company's acronym "IBM." This event represented the inaugural exact placement of atoms on a planar substrate.
Research
At the IBM Almaden Research Center in San Jose, California, Donald Eigler and Erhard Schweizer employed a scanning tunneling microscope (STM) under low-temperature conditions to manipulate atoms on a surface. They organized 35 xenon atoms into the letters "IBM," producing a design measuring 5 nm in height and 17 nm in width. Additionally, they constructed linear arrangements of xenon atoms resembling molecular structures. This achievement highlighted the possibilities for creating nanoscale architectures and progressing device miniaturization.
See also
- There's Plenty of Room at the Bottom – Lecture by Richard Feynman
- A Boy and His Atom – The world's smallest movie