Schematic of single atom transistors. A metal coordination complex containing a single cobalt atom is attached to gold electrodes. Transport through the molecule is used to probe single electron charging, the Kondo effect, and the vibrational properties of the molecules.

Jiwoong Park, Abhay N. Pasupathy, Jonas I. Goldsmith, Connie Chang, Yuval Yaish, Jason R. Petta, Marie Rinkoski, James P. Sethna, Hector D. Abruna, Paul L. McEuen, and Daniel C. Ralph. Nature 417, 722 (2002).

Image courtesy: Drs. James P. Sethna, Paul L. McEuen, Cornell University.