2. Observation techniques

The elementary building blocks of molecular assemblies have nanometric dimensions. To observe them, or to understand the processes involved and explain step-by-step the formation of self-assembled structures, it is necessary to observe these systems with microscopes at very high resolution, below the nanometer. Very few observation techniques are capable of achieving such high resolutions while remaining non-destructive to molecules. To date, Scanning Tunneling Microscopy (STM) and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) have provided remarkable images of atoms, isolated molecules and self-assembled structures. These two scanning microscopes and their derivatives have rapidly become the "benchmark" techniques for local surface analysis.

STM: Scanning Tunneling Microscopy

AFM: Atomic Force Microscope