Molecules under a sharp tip
Research report (imported) 2013 - Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research
Summary
Non-evaporable functional molecules such as proteins and peptides can be converted into intact gas phase ions by electrospray ionization. This allows the deposition on surfaces in a vacuum, and thus the atomically resolving analysis by scanning tunneling microscopy. In addition to a detailed insight into the structure of these large molecules, electrospray ion beam deposition allows steering of the molecular conformation into folded, unfolded or two-dimensionally folded structures.