Physicists watch electron transfer in a single molecule

15-Feb-2019 - The building blocks of matter surrounding us are atoms and molecules. The properties of that matter, however, are often not set by these building blocks directly, but rather by their mutual interactions, which are governed by their outer electron shells. Many chemical processes are based on the ...

New method measures 3D polymer processing precisely

11-Oct-2018 - Recipes for three-dimensional (3D) printing, or additive manufacturing, of parts have required as much guesswork as science. Until now. Resins and other materials that react under light to form polymers, or long chains of molecules, are attractive for 3D printing of parts ranging from ...

High-resolution imaging of nanoparticle surface structures is now possible

06-Aug-2018 - Using scanning tunnelling microscopy (STM), extremely high resolution imaging of the molecule-covered surface structures of silver nanoparticles is possible, even down to the recognition of individual parts of the molecules protecting the surface. This was the finding of joint research between ...

Splitting water: Nanoscale imaging yields key insights

20-Jul-2018 - In the quest to realize artificial photosynthesis to convert sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide into fuel - just as plants do - researchers need to not only identify materials to efficiently perform photoelectrochemical water splitting, but also to understand why a certain material may or may ...

Individual impurity atoms detectable in graphene

17-Apr-2018 - A team including physicists from the University of Basel has succeeded in using atomic force microscopy to clearly obtain images of individual impurity atoms in graphene ribbons. Thanks to the forces measured in the graphene’s two-dimensional carbon lattice, they were able to identify boron and ...

Perfect Images: A High-Performance Microscope Dangling From Bungee Cords

Patented vibration damping system enables images of highest quality

10-Apr-2018 - To produce images of individual atoms, a microscope shouldn't shake. A patented vibration damping system developed at the TU Wien enables images of the highest quality. It is one of the most accurate measurement instruments available today: the high-performance microscope at the Institute of ...

Strange things happen when a crystal gets split in two

05-Feb-2018 - When a crystal is broken along certain directions the atoms reorganize in amazing ways. Researchers in Vienna have watched this happen, and have learned to control it. The remarkable strength of ionic crystals is easily explained at the atomic scale: Positively and negatively charged atoms sit ...

Three-dimensional Direction-dependent Force Measurement at the Subatomic Scale

15-May-2017 - Atomic force microscopy (AFM) is an extremely sensitive technique that allows us to image materials and/or characterize their physical properties on the atomic scale by sensing the force above material surfaces using a precisely controlled tip. However, conventional AFM only provides the surface ...

Switching oxygen on and off

15-Mar-2017 - Oxygen atoms are highly reactive, yet the world does not spontaneously burn, even though everything is surrounded by this aggressive element. Why? The reason is that normal O2 molecules, are not particularly reactive. At the Vienna University of Technology, it has now been possible to selectively ...

Deciphering the nanoscale architecture of a beetle's shell

24-Feb-2017 - Beetles wear a body armor that should weigh them down -- think medieval knights and turtles. In fact, those hard shells protecting delicate wings are surprisingly light, allowing even flight. Better understanding the structure and properties of beetle exoskeletons could help scientists engineer ...