Over the four decades since the 1986 Nobel Prize in Physics, the scanning tunneling microscope (STM) has profoundly transformed the measurement and engineering of electronic and quantum phenomena at the atomic scale. Beyond merely resolving individual atoms on conducting surfaces, STM has enabled direct, real-space observation of superconducting gaps, charge density waves, quasiparticle interference patterns, Kondo resonances, magnetic textures, and topological surface states with unprecedented spatial and energy resolution. The technique has also matured into a platform for deterministic atom-by-atom manipulation, permitting the construction of engineered nanostructures and designer quantum systems. In this talk, I will trace the evolution of STM from a surface-imaging breakthrough to a multifunctional, atomically precise spectroscopic probe and fabrication tool that now stands at the core of modern nanoscience and quantum materials research.
The presentation will explore the role of batteries in supporting a sustainable energy transition, with a focus on stationary battery systems.