Controlled Manipulation of Single Atoms and Small Molecules Using the Scanning Tunneling Microscope

This article reviews the manipulation of single molecules by scanning tunneling microscopes, in particular, vertical manipulation, lateral manipulation, and inelastic electron tunneling manipulation. For a better understanding of these processes, we shortly review imaging by scanning tunneling microscopy as a prerequisite to detect the manipulated species and verify the result of the manipulation and scanning tunneling spectroscopy and inelastic electron tunneling spectroscopy, which is used to chemically identify the molecules before and after the manipulation that employs the tunneling current.