Scientists tip a molecular see-saw and tune quantum behavior atom by atom

At Monash University in Melbourne, researchers have learned to change a material's quantum behavior by nudging its structure at the atomic scale. Using the ultra-fine tip of a scanning microscope, the team — led by Dr Benjamin Lowe — tipped a tiny ‘see-saw’ flip inside a two-dimensional material, dialing the strength of the quantum interaction between its magnetic electrons and the metal beneath. The work, published in the peer-reviewed journal Small, hands scientists an atomic-scale playground for designing the quantum and electronic materials of the future. Lowe says the discovery began by accident: ‘The first time we noticed the structural change, it was completely unintentional.’