| In condensed matter systems the spatial limit is given by the fundamental atomic and molecular interactions. Controlling matter at these length scales hold promise in both fundamental scientific research as well as applications in nanotechnology and related fields such as electronics, biochemistry and medicine. Atomic and molecular manipulation on surfaces has opened a new realm of possibilities where materials can be engineered at the spatial limit and artificial structures can be constructed with a bottom-up approach, one building block at a time.; This thesis describes nanostructures assembled from CO molecules on Cu(111) using a custom-built low-temperature ultra-high vacuum (UHV) scanning tunneling microscope (STM). The design and performance of the atom-manipulation apparatus that has enabled these experiments is presented. The control of electronic and vibronic states is demonstrated in several coherent quantum geometries and interactions between these two degrees of freedom are investigated. This work has revealed a virtual vibron process where non-local vibrons are synthesized and focused using a two-dimensional electron gas as a propagation medium and molecular oscillators as a source.; Analysis of higher order harmonic modes of quartz tuning fork sensors is presented in the context of high frequency optical homodyne interferometric detection of subnanometer oscillatory motion. Further developments which could expand upon the work presented herein, in which STM may be combined with quantum force sensing through the use of quartz tuning forks, are suggested. |
