IBM scientists in Zurich have been able to image a single molecule using an atomic force microscope (AFM). How cool is that! I always thought that the chemical diagrams showing the atomic bonds was just a representation. I'm surprised that molecules actually look like that.

The researchers focused on a single molecule of pentacene, which is commonly used in solar cells. The rectangular-shaped organic molecule is made up of 22 carbon atoms and 14 hydrogen atoms. In the image [on the right] the hexagonal shapes of the five carbon rings are clear and even the positions of the hydrogen atoms around the carbon rings can be seen.

To give some perspective, the space between the carbon rings is only 0.14 nanometers across, which is roughly one million times smaller than the diameter of a grain of sand.