Nano-wheels seen rolling at last
January 23, 2007 | Source: NewScientist.com news service
Researchers created a carbon molecule resembling a pair of wheels just 0.8 nanometers in diameter, joined together by an axle only four carbon atoms long.
They used the tip of a scanning tunnelling electron microscope to push individual molecules across a copper surface, which provided a direct readout that shows the wheels only roll when pushed in the right direction.