Researchers in Augsburg, Germany, have produced unique images of the atom using an atomic force microscope. Using an extremely sensitive instrument, they were able to see the electron clouds inside a silicon atom, and found the predicted distinctive shape.
An atomic force microscope produces images of surfaces by sensing the forces that exist between a sharp tip and a sample. The Augsburg researchers designed a special quartz "tuning fork" to act as the cantilever for the tungsten tip of their microscope in order to improve the resolution of the images. The cantilever oscillates at a particular frequency, but as the tungsten tip moves over the sample, the frequency of oscillation shifts as covalent bonds form between the tip of the microscope and the electrons inside the silicon atom.
The researchers now plan to image the internal structure of a variety of atoms to improve the understanding of the properties of electrons in solids. Science