Abstract

We present the results of calculations performed to investigate the process of single-atom manipulation with the non-contact atomic force microscope comparing the two most common experimental set-ups: a conventional large amplitude silicon cantilever and a small amplitude quartz tuning fork. The manipulation of a model system - an oxygen vacancy in the MgO(001) surface by a single vertical approach at a fixed lateral position - is simulated for each set-up using a detailed and realistic atomistic model that accounts for temperature and the tip trajectory, and it is found that both approaches produce the manipulation event in approximately the same way. The behaviour of the tip dynamics and the resulting response of the instrumentation to the manipulation event is studied using a virtual dynamic atomic force microscope that includes a realistic description of noise for each type of set-up. The results of these calculations indicate how a single-atom manipulation can be performed and recognized by each type of experiment. © IOP Publishing Ltd.