STM Image Gallery

Title : Quantum Corral
Media : Iron on Copper (111)
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The discovery of the STM's ability to image variations in the density distribution of surface state electrons created in the artists a compulsion to have complete control of not only the atomic landscape, but the electronic landscape also. Here they have positioned 48 iron atoms into a circular ring in order to "corral" some surface state electrons and force them into "quantum" states of the circular structure. The ripples in the ring of atoms are the density distribution of a particular set of quantum states of the corral. The artists were delighted to discover that they could predict what goes on in the corral by solving the classic eigenvalue problem in quantum mechanics -- a particle in a hard-wall box.
[Crommie, Lutz & Eigler]

Title : Rectangular Corral
Media : Iron on Copper (111)
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Similar to the circular quantum corral.
[Crommie, Lutz & Eigler]

Title : Stadium Corral
Media : Iron on Copper (111)
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Intrigued with the possibility of observing "Quantum Chaos", the artists constructed a stadium shaped structure in the hopes of observing so-called "scarring" of the density distribution of the surface state electron density. No scarring was observed. The reason is that the electrons don't bounce around in the corral before they escape beyond it borders. The corrals are leaky.
[Crommie, Lutz & Eigler]

Title : The Making of the Circular Corral
Media : Iron on Copper (111)
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Various stages during the construction of the circular corral.
[Crommie, Lutz & Eigler]

Title : Corral Collage
Media : Iron on Copper (111)

We see from this collection of different shaped corrals (including one with a double wall) some evidence that the artists went through a period of infatuation with their creations. Despite having achieved structures of considerably greater complexity, it can be argued that they never surpassed the beauty of the original 48 atom circular shaped corral.
[Crommie, Lutz & Eigler]