Manipulating atoms (Image: IBM) The iconic image created in 1990 by moving atoms into place to spell I-B-M (Image: IBM)
The pioneer who wrote “IBM” using 35 xenon atoms in 1989 tells New Scientist how nanotech is progressing.
What made you spell out “IBM” in xenon atoms? Was it just a publicity stunt?
Our first experiments actually had nothing to do with atom manipulation, but what they taught us was that we could exert forces on atoms. Then we decided to see if we could reliably reposition them on a surface. Once we had managed to get the atom-moving process…
