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MisterX
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This effect can be seen in the short film "A Boy and His Atom". I had a couple ideas about what this could be but I am curious if someone knows better.
Oscillations around CO (carbon monoxide) atoms seen in STM (scanning tunneling microscope) images refer to the movement or vibration of the CO molecule when it is adsorbed onto a surface and imaged using an STM. This phenomenon is caused by the interaction between the CO molecule and the surface, and can provide information about the electronic and structural properties of the surface.
Oscillations around CO atoms can be observed in STM images by scanning the surface with a sharp tip, which is brought very close to the surface. The tip and the surface are biased with a small voltage, causing electrons to tunnel between them. As the tip scans over the CO molecule, the tunneling current changes due to the interaction between the CO and the surface, resulting in oscillations in the STM image.
The oscillations around CO atoms in STM images are caused by the interactions between the CO molecule and the surface. These interactions can include van der Waals forces, electrostatic forces, and chemical bonding. The strength and nature of these interactions can vary depending on the surface and the environment.
By studying the oscillations around CO atoms in STM images, we can learn about the electronic and structural properties of the surface. The amplitude and frequency of the oscillations can provide information about the strength of the interactions between the CO and the surface, while the phase can reveal the orientation of the CO molecule on the surface.
No, oscillations around CO atoms are not always present in STM images. The presence and strength of these oscillations can depend on various factors such as the surface, the CO coverage, and the imaging conditions. In some cases, the oscillations may be too small to be observed, or they may be masked by other features in the image.