NIST researchers have successfully demonstrated a new protocol for building nanostructures by automatically placing individual atoms using a specialized microscope. Led by the Center for Nanoscale Science and Technology, the team developed a method that allows a scanning tunneling microscope to act like a robotic hand, moving cobalt atoms or carbon monoxide molecules into precise patterns without human intervention. This “bottom-up” approach sets a benchmark for precision, aiming to create perfectly structured materials that can be used to study and utilize quantum properties.
The technology is currently in the demonstrated stage, with successful tests showing the assembly of structures that trap quantum properties. The potential impact is significant for quantum information processing and nanophotonics, as it could provide a toolkit for creating tailored quantum states on demand. While this specific achievement dates to 2014, it lays the groundwork for future standardization in how quantum devices are manufactured at the atomic level.
Key to this method is the use of autonomous motion algorithms that calculate the best path for the microscope tip to move atoms to target coordinates, similar to self-driving car technology. By proving that matter can be arranged with single-atom precision, the researchers have opened a path toward more reliable and complex nanofabrication techniques. This work suggests that future quantum hardware could be built by arranging matter atom-by-atom rather than etching it from bulk materials.
Keywords: autonomous assembly, scanning tunneling microscope, quantum-confined nanostructures
