Manipulation of a single molecule ground state by means of gold atom contacts

- We demonstrate how a single Coronene molecule can function like an analogue counter.
- An STM tip was used to manipulate gold atoms to create Aun-Coronene complexes.
- Electron spectroscopy shows that Coronene's ground state shifts with the number of atoms contacted.
- Spectral shifts from Aun-Coronene can be use to count the number of atoms contacting Coronene.
- This research brings new insights on how to embed complex calculating functions in a single molecule.