Wave and Particle in Molecular Interference Lithography

Journal Article · Thu Dec 31 00:00:00 EST 2009 · Physical Review Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PHYSREVLETT.103.263601· OSTI ID:21370930

Juffmann, Thomas; Truppe, Stefan; Geyer, Philipp; Major, Andras G; Arndt, Markus ^[1]; Deachapunya, Sarayut ^[1]; Ulbricht, Hendrik ^[1]

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1. Faculty of Physics, University of Vienna, Boltzmanngasse 5, 1090 Vienna (Austria)

The wave-particle duality of massive objects is a cornerstone of quantum physics and a key property of many modern tools such as electron microscopy, neutron diffraction or atom interferometry. Here we report on the first experimental demonstration of quantum interference lithography with complex molecules. Molecular matter-wave interference patterns are deposited onto a reconstructed Si(111) 7x7 surface and imaged using scanning tunneling microscopy. Thereby both the particle and the quantum wave character of the molecules can be visualized in one and the same image. This new approach to nanolithography therefore also represents a sensitive new detection scheme for quantum interference experiments.

• OSTI ID: 21370930
• Journal Information: Physical Review Letters, Vol. 103, Issue 26; Other Information: DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.103.263601; (c) 2009 The American Physical Society; ISSN 0031-9007
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
DUALITY
ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
INTERFERENCE
INTERFEROMETRY
NEUTRON DIFFRACTION
QUANTUM MECHANICS
SCANNING TUNNELING MICROSCOPY
COHERENT SCATTERING
DIFFRACTION
MECHANICS
MICROSCOPY
SCATTERING