Figure 4.

Manipulation trajectories recorded using HCM with the visual feedback. The inset in (a) shows three manipulation attempts (numbered by the sequence of their appearance) performed by the operator in the search of the kinked trajectory shown in (a) and (b). Top and side views of a) log(I(x,y,z)) and b) Δf(x,y,z) trajectories recorded by pulling a single PTCDA molecule out of the PTCDA monolayer grown on Ag(111). Orientation of the molecule is shown in Figure 1. A section of the averaged trajectory obtained from [1] is shown in gray. Seven attempts following the averaged trajectory fail due to a premature loss of the tip–molecule contact. In contrast, eight attempts following a newly found kinked trajectory lift the molecule far from the surface without loosing the tip–molecule contact.