IBM Researchers Image Electrical Charge Distribution In a Single Molecule

alphadogg writes with this selection from Network World:"IBM researchers for the first time have succeeded in imaging how charge is distributed inside a single molecule, which is a fundamental research breakthrough as scientists try to miniaturize circuitry to the nanometer scale. IBM is studying molecular structures when put on artificial surfaces so functional molecules in the future can be used as switches or transistors, said Fabian Mohn, an IBM researcher. IBM used advanced microscopy tools and techniques to image how charge is redistributed and arranged when chemical bonds are formed between atoms and molecules on surfaces."

Comments

No Pictures?

[Pikoro]

And once again, there is no picture in the article. Why post a story about the creation of an imaging technique without pics.

tl;dr pics or it didn't happen.

Re:No Pictures?

[game kid]

It was a naked molecule, all alone. If we don't know its age how can we be sure the pictures are even legal?

Re:No Pictures?

[mazarin5]

At least one pic here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-17156036

Re:No Pictures?

[mazarin5]

And tons here: http://www.nature.com/nnano/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/nnano.2012.20.html

Re:No Pictures?

[Anonymous Coward]

The molecule in question is under-aged. Won't someone think of the children?

Re:No Pictures?

[PatPending]

Here is the source: Full text and pictures here or as a PDF here.

Re:No Pictures?

[TheInternetGuy]

Meh,

Those pictures are so obviously photo-shopped.

Re:No Pictures?

[Anonymous Coward]

He must have put it on the page. Must have required you to view it in an Electron Microscope :P

Re:No Pictures?

[Anonymous Coward]

Well, "game kid," once upon a time, billions and billions and billions of years ago, there was a really, really big BANG, and this molecule was formed...

Re:No Pictures?

[toruonu]

Not entirely true. Molecules are combinations of atoms meaning that you cannot be certain this one wasn't produced mere seconds before it was "photographed". Then again, noone considers a picture of a newborn baby nude as child porn so again, why no picture.

Oh and even atoms cannot be considered as something that was made at the big bang. There's nuclear fusion and fission happening all the time. At best the underlying quarks may or may not have been originally created or they may have come into existence during flavor changing currents (i.e. weak interaction as in W or Z exchange).

Re:No Pictures?

[Anonymous Coward]

Not entirely true. Molecules are combinations of atoms meaning that you cannot be certain this one wasn't produced mere seconds before it was "photographed". Then again, noone considers a picture of a newborn baby nude as child porn so again, why no picture.

Oh and even atoms cannot be considered as something that was made at the big bang. There's nuclear fusion and fission happening all the time. At best the underlying quarks may or may not have been originally created or they may have come into existence during flavor changing currents (i.e. weak interaction as in W or Z exchange).

Then of course there's the issue of whether it's even meaningful to distinguish a "particular" indistinguishable particle from all the others in the universe (particularly in the case of quarks...)

Re:No Pictures?

[Anonymous Coward]

It was definitely a minor entity. So, pictures are not legal.

Re:No Pictures?

[umghhh]

this is pure pr0n - I got a hard on already....

Re:No Pictures?

[Anonymous Coward]

It seems they are not proud of what they had to do to this naked molecule...

Re:No Pictures?

[FrootLoops]

That is the beauty of physics--getting hard-to-obtain experimental evidence that agrees with theory, vindicating the theory enough in similar situations to trust theoretical calculations in lieu of performing difficult experiments. Bonus points if the theory is mathematically beautiful (as quantum mechanics is; go ahead, try and tell me the spectral theorem's characterization of Hermitian operators in Hilbert space isn't astonishingly pretty when interpreted physically!). Even more points for awesome pictures.

Re:No Pictures?

[flyneye]

Turns out they were "shopped" by the Chinese "Scientists".

Re:No Pictures?

[paiute]

And tons here: http://www.nature.com/nnano/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/nnano.2012.20.html

And here is the structure they are imaging: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naphthalocyanine

Re:No Pictures?

[ColdWetDog]

No! It's saying that the Universe is really Red vs. Blue.

I'm all depressed again....

Re:No Pictures?

[Anonymous Coward]

this is a valid and enforceable DMCA (thinking of the children) take down notice ...

Re:No Pictures?

[Anonymous Coward]

That's funny - got a hadron.

Flickr

[PS3Penguin]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ibm_research_zurich/sets/72157629144258045/

Re:Flickr

[Dusty]

That's great, they even have a picture of Fabian Mohn putting the atom to be imaged into the scope:-

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ibm_research_zurich/6807218837/in/set-72157629144258045

:-)

Amazing discovery(ies)

[hcs_$reboot]

Jan 26, IBM creates 9nm carbon nanotube transistor
Oct 14, IBM Eyes Brain-Like Computing
Aug 18, IBM creates learning, brain-like synaptic CPU
...more here...
Is it only a recurring signal to motivate the shareholders, or is it intended to produce some tangible applications in a not-so-far future?

Re:Amazing discovery(ies)

[Anonymous Coward]

Is it only a recurring signal to motivate the shareholders, or is it intended to produce some tangible applications in a not-so-far future?

Depends on your definition of "not-so-far". Base research is not meant to yield immediate results to put in a product to sell. These discoveries are meant to open completely new horizons which most likely will end up with some product, but not in the short term. Base research is a long term investment, and IBM's base research has always been truly impressive.

Re:Amazing discovery(ies)

[Anonymous Coward]

At least they're spending that $10B investment from Berkshire on something cool.

Re:Amazing discovery(ies)

[bws111]

You think IBM gets the money when Buffett (or anyone else) buys stock?

Re:Amazing discovery(ies)

[Anonymous Coward]

It drives the price up and they can issue more shares at a premium or use increased equity for loans. It's true that it doesn't go directly to their coffers unless it is an issuance of new stock, but it does support the financials in other ways.

Re:Amazing discovery(ies)

[VortexCortex]

Jan 26, IBM creates 9nm carbon nanotube transistor
Oct 14, IBM Eyes Brain-Like Computing
Aug 18, IBM creates learning, brain-like synaptic CPU
Is it only a recurring signal to motivate the shareholders, or is it intended to produce some tangible applications in a not-so-far future?

I suppose that depends on whether you think your neural network is the highest bar nature is likely to achieve, or if having an evolutionary mechanism become self aware could possibly NOT accelerate the evolutionary process... Well, actually, I suppose it really depends on if you think there is any money to be made in the inevitable Cyborg Revolution.

I speak Machine Code, guess who's side I'm on? .... Wrong! No ones! Muah ha HA!

Re:Amazing discovery(ies)

[dsgrntlxmply]

Perhaps it is a signal to shareholders that IBM, unlike most other corporations, maintain a time horizon that extends beyond three or twelve months, and demonstrate this by investing in basic research. That bears a continuing expense, but it also can sustain the company farther into the future. The capacity to contribute to current advancement in foundational science, can also bring the capacity to inform and advise efforts in domains closer to application.

Here's a picture, the actual article, etc.

[cowtamer]

You would think that any journalist who is writing an article about something being imaged would also include the picture:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-17156036

Here's the link to the actual article with more pictures:

http://www.nature.com/nnano/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/nnano.2012.20.html

Here's the article:
Imaging the charge distribution within a single molecule
Fabian Mohn, Leo Gross, Nikolaj Moll & Gerhard Meyer
Nature Nanotechnology (2012) doi:10.1038/nnano.2012.20

It's lazy journalists who couldn't do 2 minutes of Googling who are killing journalism, not the Internet or Online Publishing!

Obligatory

[Ihmhi]

Obligatory physics jokes, let's just get them outta the way:

A photon goes to the airport and buys a ticket. The ticket agent asks if he has any luggage. "Nope," says the photon, "I'm traveling light."

Next!

Re:Obligatory

[Ihmhi]

Almost 12 hours and not a single reply? Slashdot, I am disappointed in you. Go to your root dir and no supper until you clear your cache.

Re:Obligatory

[Traksius Egas]

Here's an olde for ya:

"A neutron walks into a bar; he asks the bartender, 'How much for a beer?' The bartender looks at him, and says 'For you, no charge.' "

Re:Woo Hoo off topic

[Anonymous Coward]

No, Terry, you are already down

FTFY

[Anonymous Coward]

this is pure pr0n - I got a hard on already....

We're talking physics here. The joke should have been:

"this is pure physics pr0n - I got a hadron already...."