IBM Drags Individual Atoms to Cut Magnetic Bit Size to 12 Atoms

Moving Atoms: Making The World's Smallest Movie — IBM

IBM

Controlling individual molecules on chilled crystal surfaces demonstrates that stable data storage requires only 12 atoms per bit compared to the one million used in conventional media.

AI-assisted summary of Moving Atoms: Making The World's Smallest Movie — original source. Check the original for full context.

Source published: 2013-04-30

Key ideas

IBM researchers created the world's smallest stop-motion film, "A Boy and His Atom," by positioning carbon monoxide molecules frame by frame on a crystal surface. (0:03)
The underlying research demonstrated that a stable magnetic bit can be created with just 12 atoms, down from the approximately one million atoms required in conventional storage media. (2:12)
Atom manipulation was executed using scanning tunneling microscopes operated below −260 °C, where operators used real-time audio feedback to track individual lattice movements. (2:57)
Beyond pushing the boundaries of nanoscale computation and storage density, the project served as an exercise in curiosity-driven fundamental science and public outreach. (3:59)

Detailed notes

## Background Published by IBM on YouTube on April 30, 2013, this short behind-the-scenes documentary explores how IBM researchers manipulated individual atoms to create the world's smallest stop-motion movie. According to the page description, the video takes viewers inside the laboratory to meet the scientists and learn about their pioneering research in atomic memory and nanoscale data storage.

## TL;DR IBM scientists utilized scanning tunneling microscopes (STMs) operated at cryogenic temperatures below −260 degrees Celsius to position carbon monoxide molecules across a flat crystal surface, creating the animated film 'A Boy and His Atom.' Moving thousands of individual atoms one by one, operators relied on microscopic interactions and distinct audio feedback to reposition molecules frame by frame. The technical feat directly connects to fundamental data storage research, where IBM discovered that stable magnetic bits can be created using just 12 atoms rather than the million atoms needed in conventional storage. Ultimately, the project demonstrates how curiosity-driven research can both advance nanoscale computing limits and engage the public by turning hard science into playful art.

## Atmosphere & style The video strikes an engaging balance between playful curiosity and meticulous, cutting-edge science. The researchers speak with genuine warmth and enthusiasm, candidly admitting the initial idea sounded 'crazy' before describing the addictive thrill of listening to the scratchy audio feedback of dragging individual molecules across a surface. Watching the piece feels like an inspiring peek into an ultra-clean lab environment where monumental patience and childlike imagination collide to humanize complex physics.

## Bulletin - [00:03](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xA4QWwaweWA&t=3s) IBM researchers created the world's smallest stop-motion film, "A Boy and His Atom," by positioning carbon monoxide molecules frame by frame on a crystal surface. - [02:12](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xA4QWwaweWA&t=132s) The underlying research demonstrated that a stable magnetic bit can be created with just 12 atoms, down from the approximately one million atoms required in conventional storage media. - [02:57](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xA4QWwaweWA&t=177s) Atom manipulation was executed using scanning tunneling microscopes operated below −260 °C, where operators used real-time audio feedback to track individual lattice movements. - [03:59](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xA4QWwaweWA&t=239s) Beyond pushing the boundaries of nanoscale computation and storage density, the project served as an exercise in curiosity-driven fundamental science and public outreach.

## Key takeaways - [00:03](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xA4QWwaweWA&t=3s) IBM researchers demonstrated unprecedented control over matter at the atomic scale by creating a stop-motion animated film one atom at a time. - [00:03](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xA4QWwaweWA&t=3s) The animation characters and environments were constructed using carbon monoxide molecules precisely dragged across a flat crystal surface. - [00:03](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xA4QWwaweWA&t=3s) Making the movie required moving roughly 5,000 individual atoms and systematically shoving extraneous molecules outside the frame area. - [00:03](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xA4QWwaweWA&t=3s) The scale is magnified 100 million times; scaling an atom to the size of an orange would make a real orange the size of planet Earth. - [02:12](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xA4QWwaweWA&t=132s) As traditional silicon transistor miniaturization approaches physical limits, researchers are studying the fundamental magnetic behaviors of individual surface atoms. - [02:12](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xA4QWwaweWA&t=132s) While standard storage relies on about one million atoms per bit, IBM proved a stable magnetic bit could be engineered using only 12 atoms. - [02:12](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xA4QWwaweWA&t=132s) A 12-atom memory density would theoretically allow a portable device to store virtually all movies produced in human history. - [02:57](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xA4QWwaweWA&t=177s) The experiment operated using two scanning tunneling microscopes (STMs) switching between an imaging mode and a close-proximity manipulation mode. - [02:57](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xA4QWwaweWA&t=177s) Moving an atom relies on chemical interactions between the microscope's needle tip and the atom, allowing the operator to drag it along the substrate. - [02:57](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xA4QWwaweWA&t=177s) Experiments were conducted at cryogenic temperatures below −260 °C to eliminate thermal hopping and hold molecules firmly in place. - [02:57](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xA4QWwaweWA&t=177s) Researchers relied on scratchy acoustic feedback generated during STM movement to count the exact number of lattice steps an atom traveled. - [03:59](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xA4QWwaweWA&t=239s) The film "A Boy and His Atom" aimed to demystify complex nanoscience and inspire students to pursue careers in scientific research. - [03:59](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xA4QWwaweWA&t=239s) The project illustrates the essential role of open-ended, curiosity-driven science in laying the groundwork for future computational breakthroughs.

## Detailed walkthrough ### [00:03](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xA4QWwaweWA&t=3s) Peering into the Small and the Concept of Atomic Stop-Motion

Just as astronomers gaze into telescopes at nebulas, stars, and distant galaxies to admire the cosmic patterns formed by the universe, scientists can peer in the opposite direction down into the submicroscopic realm. Looking toward the infinitesimally small reveals equally strange, exciting patterns sculpted from the fundamental building blocks of matter. At IBM Research, the team set out to push this boundary by creating a stop-motion animated movie made entirely of atoms. While the underlying concept sounds deceptively straightforward, the physical execution demands meticulous focus because every single atom has to be positioned into an exact spot on a surface to build microscopic structures one atom at a time. The overarching scientific mission explores how placing and manipulating atoms on surfaces can be leveraged for advanced computation and data storage.

When the idea was first proposed in the lab, it sounded nearly impossible to pull off. As one researcher recounted with a laugh: “I thought when I first heard that they're gonna make a movie out of atoms, I thought that's crazy.” Concerns immediately arose over the sheer volume of labor required to position so many individual particles. However, once the initial frames were laid out, the researchers found the process mesmerizing and surprisingly addictive. The entire action of the film—starring a little character constructed out of carbon monoxide molecules—unfolds right on top of a flat crystal surface.

To create each frame of animation, the team manually drags molecules across the substrate to render a single picture, records that image, and then rearranges the layout for the next frame to tell an evolving story. Achieving this represented an unprecedented technical challenge. As the team observed: “This is a very challenging task because nobody, as far as we know, including ourselves, has ever moved 5,000 atoms.” The frames often required tedious cleanup work, where excess molecules had to be shoved out of the frame area so that the figure of the man and his surrounding scene could stand out cleanly.

- **Microscopic Scale Analogy**: Under the microscope, images are magnified roughly 100 million times. To illustrate this scale, if an individual atom were scaled up to the size of an ordinary orange, a real orange would scale up to the size of the entire planet Earth.

---

[02:12](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xA4QWwaweWA&t=132s) Scaling Laws: From Silicon Transistors to 12-Atom Magnetic Memory

For the past 40 years, the electronics industry has driven computing power forward by progressively shrinking the silicon transistor, packing more and more transistors onto the same footprint of a computer chip. Looking beyond traditional silicon scaling, IBM researchers began investigating the fundamental magnetic properties of individual atoms anchored to surfaces. Their research aimed to answer an essential question: how small can a magnet physically be while still remaining stable enough to store data?

Conventional storage media require roughly one million atoms to store a single bit of information reliably. In contrast, the IBM team discovered that with the specific materials they developed in the lab, only 12 atoms are needed to build a stable magnetic bit. This reduction in the physical footprint of data storage opens up staggering possibilities for future devices. With that level of storage density, a portable device wouldn't just hold a couple of movies like a typical smartphone of the era; a user could carry around virtually every movie ever produced in human history.

---

[02:57](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xA4QWwaweWA&t=177s) Inside the STM Lab: Dragging Molecules and Listening to Atoms Move

To construct the film, the researchers operated two scanning tunneling microscopes (STMs). The microscope operates via a razor-sharp needle probe that alternates between two distinct modes: an imaging mode and an atom-manipulation mode. In imaging mode, the tip hovers relatively far from the sample to survey the surface and pinpoint where the atoms reside. To move an atom, the tip is lowered into very close proximity. At this microscopic distance, the atom on the surface chemically interacts with the tip, allowing the microscope operator to drag the atom along the crystal substrate and drop it into a chosen coordinate.

```mermaid flowchart LR accTitle: Scanning Tunneling Microscope Operation Modes accDescr: Flow diagram showing switching between STM imaging mode and moving mode to manipulate atoms. subgraph STM["Scanning Tunneling Microscope (STM)"] IM["Imaging Mode Tip stays relatively far away"] MM["Moving Mode Tip lowers into close proximity"] end SURF["Surface Survey Identify atom locations"] --> IM IM -->|"Lower tip"| MM MM -->|"Chemical interaction"| DRAG["Drag Atom Molecule follows tip along surface"] DRAG -->|"Auditory feedback"| POS["Reposition Atom Count steps via scratchy sound"] ```

The physical STM instruments reside in a specialized microscope room, which houses the ultra-sharp tip and the sample where all the physical manipulation takes place. To prevent the atoms from thermal hopping and to ensure they remain fixed in place, the instrument operates in extreme cryogenic conditions at temperatures below −260 degrees Celsius.

During the manipulation process, the motion is translated into an audible signal. As a molecule follows the tip across the surface, it produces a distinct, scratchy audio feedback:

> “For us, hearing this scratchy sound is important feedback because we can count how many positions have you actually moved. You go [grick, grick, grick] and you can say all right, this was 3 locations.”

---

[03:59](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xA4QWwaweWA&t=239s) "A Boy and His Atom" and the Value of Curiosity-Driven Research

While the laboratory typically designs nanoscale systems targeted at atomic computation and high-density memory, this experimental project channeled the same nanotechnology into a playful artistic narrative: a short story about a boy named Adam who falls in love with an atom, playing and dancing together.

For the researchers, the project offered a rare chance to bridge complex nanoscience with public outreach and wonder. One researcher emphasized the educational impact of such demonstrations: “If I can do this by making a movie and I can get 1,000 kids to join science rather than go into law school, I would be super happy.”

Beyond public engagement, the video underscores the vital importance of open-ended, curiosity-driven exploration in fundamental science. Giving scientists the leeway to pursue questions simply because they find them intriguing is often how breakthrough innovations are born. While it is impossible to predict the exact form future technologies will take, experiments like moving individual atoms lay the foundational scientific groundwork, firing the imagination and giving researchers a head start in navigating uncharted domains of physics and engineering.

## Notable quotes > [03:59](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xA4QWwaweWA&t=239s) If I can do this by making a movie and I can get 1,000 kids to join science rather than go into law school, I would be super happy. — IBM researcher

## Mentioned IBM, IBM Research, Scanning Tunneling Microscope (STM), A Boy and His Atom, Carbon monoxide

## Video description How did IBM researchers move all those atoms to make the world's smallest movie? This short behind-the-scenes documentary takes you inside the lab. Meet the scientists, see how they made a movie with atoms, and find out more about their research in the field of atomic memory and data storage. See the world's smallest movie at http://youtu.be/oSCX78-8-q0. Learn more about atomic memory, data storage and big data at http://www.ibm.com/madewithatoms

[Source](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xA4QWwaweWA)

中文简报

IBM操控单原子将磁比特缩至12个原子在受冷晶体表面控制单分子表明，相比传统介质所需的约一百万个原子，稳定数据存储每个比特仅需12个原子。 IBM科学家利用在零下260摄氏度以下极低温运行的扫描隧道显微镜（STM），在平整晶体表面精准排布一氧化碳分子，制作了动画短片《一个男孩和他的原子》。操作人员逐一移动数千个单个原子，依靠微观相互作用和清晰的音频反馈逐帧重新定位分子。这一技术壮举与基础数据存储研究直接相关，IBM在该研究中发现，制造稳定的磁比特仅需12个原子，远少于传统存储所需的一百万个原子。该项目最终展示了好奇心驱动的研究既能拓展纳米级计算的极限，又能通过将硬核科学转化为趣味艺术来吸引公众。 IBM研究人员通过在晶体表面逐帧排布一氧化碳分子，制作了世界上最小的定格动画电影《一个男孩和他的原子》。 (0:03) 其底层研究表明，仅需12个原子即可构建稳定的磁比特，远低于传统存储介质所需的大约一百万个原子。 (2:12) 原子操控是通过在零下260摄氏度以下运行的扫描隧道显微镜完成的，操作人员利用实时音频反馈来追踪单个晶格运动。 (2:57) 除了突破纳米级计算与存储密度的极限，该项目也是好奇心驱动的基础科学研究与公众科普的一次实践。 (3:59)

Reading summary

IBM Research demonstrated the physical limits of nanotechnology by creating "A Boy and His Atom," a stop-motion animated film composed of individual carbon monoxide molecules manipulated on a crystal surface. The project showcases foundational advances in nanoscale manipulation that also enabled researchers to reduce the physical footprint of magnetic data storage down to just 12 atoms. Stop-Motion Animation at Atomic Scale (0:03) To demonstrate precise control over matter at the smallest scales, researchers at IBM created an animated film by assembling frames one atom at a time on a flat crystal surface. Using carbon monoxide molecules to depict a character named Adam, the team manually rearranged particles across a surface to render each individual frame, taking a picture after each layout was completed. Under the microscope, the scene is magnified approximately 100 million times—a scale where an ordinary orange magnified by the same factor would match the size of Earth. The animation required moving more than 5,000 atoms, a feat the researchers noted had never been documented previously. Achieving clean frames required tedious manual intervention, including shoving surplus molecules out of the viewing area so that the central figures and scenes could be resolved clearly against the substrate. STM Mechanics, Cryogenics, and Auditory Feedback (2:57) The physical production was carried out using two scanning tunneling microscopes (STMs) operated in a specialized facility. The STM uses an ultra-sharp needle that alternates between two operational states: an imaging mode where the tip stays relatively far from the sample to survey atom coordinates, and an atom-manipulation mode where the tip is lowered close to the surface. In the manipulation mode, chemical interactions between the tip and a molecule allow the operator to drag the molecule across the crystal grid. To prevent thermal hopping and keep the molecules locked into their assigned coordinates, the STMs operate under cryogenic conditions at temperatures below −260 degrees Celsius. Because visual tracking during movement is indirect, operators rely on real-time audio feedback: the motion of a molecule across the substrate generates a distinct scratchy sound, enabling researchers to count individual positional steps as the particle shifts across lattice sites. Radical Scaling: The 12-Atom Magnetic Bit (2:12) The manipulation techniques used in the film directly support IBM's research into the ultimate physical limits of computation and storage beyond conventional silicon scaling. For four decades, the electronics industry relied on shrinking silicon transistors, but IBM researchers sought to determine the minimum number of atoms required to form a stable magnetic bit on a surface. While conventional magnetic storage media require approximately one million atoms to store a single bit of data reliably, the IBM team found that their lab-developed materials could form a stable magnetic bit with just 12 atoms. According to the researchers, achieving this level of density could theoretically allow a portable device to store virtually every movie ever produced in human history. Curiosity-Driven Exploration and Educational Outreach (3:59) Although the laboratory's core mission centers on atomic computation and ultra-dense memory, the team deliberately channeled their instrumentation into a creative narrative about a boy playing with an atom. The project was designed partly as public outreach, with researchers expressing the hope that visual demonstrations of atomic science would inspire students to choose careers in scientific fields rather than disciplines like law. The initiative also emphasizes the institutional value of curiosity-driven fundamental research. The team maintained that allowing scientists the latitude to pursue challenging questions without immediate commercial applications lays the essential groundwork for unpredictable future technologies and establishes early technical expertise in uncharted engineering domains. While the project illustrates unprecedented control over individual atoms and demonstrates the feasibility of 12-atom magnetic memory, translating cryogenic, single-atom manipulation into commercial data storage technologies remains an open engineering challenge.

精炼阅读摘要

IBM研究团队利用扫描隧道显微镜在极低温下操纵一氧化碳分子，制作出世界上最小的定格动画短片，以此验证在单原子尺度精确排布物质以实现超高密度数据存储与新型计算的科学路径。原子尺度动画工艺与空间微观操作挑战 (0:03) 在显微镜下，该实验的成像画面被放大了约1亿倍；若将单个原子放大到日常橙子的大小，那么实际生活中的橙子将膨胀至整颗地球的体积。IBM团队在这类极微尺度下开展定格动画创作，其主角与场景完全由吸附在平整晶体表面上的一氧化碳分子搭建而成。科研人员必须手动拖拽分子在基底上精准落位以构成单帧图像，拍摄记录后再调整布局录制下一帧，通过逐帧重排来推进叙事。由于每个分子都必须准确落在特定坐标上，实验不仅需要极高的精细度，还要执行繁复的清理工序，即把视场内多余的杂质分子推移出画面边界，以确保主体图案清晰呈现。据研究人员介绍，此前实验室乃至整个科学界均未曾尝试过单次操控多达5,000个原子，庞大的手工操作量使这一任务在初期被视作近乎天方夜谭，但随着首批画面的排布完成，这种高精度的分子构造展现出了独特的科研吸引力。扫描隧道显微镜的双模运作与音频反馈机制 (2:57) 动画的绘制依托两台扫描隧道显微镜（STM）完成。显微镜的核心是一根超尖锐的针尖探测器，它在两种模式之间来回切换：在成像模式下，针尖悬停在距离样品表面相对较远的位置，用于扫描并精确定位分子的空间坐标；在操纵模式下，针尖则下降至极贴近表面的距离，使针尖与表面的分子建立化学相互作用，显微镜操作员即可借此牵引分子在晶体基底上平移，将其释放到预定坐标。为了消除热骚动导致的原子自发跳变、确保排列好的图案稳固保持，整个显微镜腔体必须维持在低于零下260摄氏度的极低温深冷环境中。在移动分子的过程中，针尖引起的微观位移被转化为可被实验员听到的粗糙刮擦声（“grick, grick”）。操作人员通过数清刮擦声的次数来实时判断分子具体跨越了几个晶格位置，这种声学反馈成为了原子位移精度的关键校准手段。超越硅极限：12原子磁存储对传统密度的颠覆 (2:12) 过去40年来，半导体工业主要通过持续缩减硅基晶体管的物理尺寸来提升计算性能与存储容量。IBM团队则跳出传统硅扩展路线，将研究重点转向探索固定在表面上的单原子磁学极限，试图从根本上回答磁性单元在何种物理极限下仍能稳定保存数据的问题。当前常规存储介质通常需要汇集约100万个原子才能可靠记录1比特（bit）的磁信息。IBM团队发现，通过研发特定的纳米结构与材料体系，仅需12个原子就能构建出一个稳定存储数据的磁位元。研究人员据此推算，若该级别的高密度存储技术能够走向实际应用，未来便携式设备的存储容量将迎来数量级的飞跃，理论上足以将整部人类电影史所产出的全部影像装入单台便携设备中。 “男孩与原子”叙事：好奇心驱动与公众启蒙 (3:59) 这项前沿纳米操纵技术最终被呈现为一部名为《A Boy and His Atom》（一个男孩与他的原子）的短片，讲述了一个名为Adam的男孩与一个微观粒子嬉戏、起舞的情感化故事。研究团队借由这种拟人化叙事，将原本高度抽象的纳米物理学转化为直观的科学奇观。参与该项目的研究人员表示，这类科普转化的核心目的之一在于激发大众特别是青少年的科学兴趣，希望借此吸引更多年轻人投身自然科学探索。该项目同时证明了好奇心驱动型基础研究在科技创新中的必要价值。尽管在实验早期无法准确预测原子级操纵具体将催生何种商业形态的产品，但给予科研团队充分的自由度去探究新奇物理现象，不仅能扩展人类认知边界，还为未来量子计算、超致密记忆体及未知工程技术的前沿演进奠定了关键的技术与认知基础。 IBM通过《A Boy and His Atom》确立了在分子尺度进行空间重组的可行性，并展示了12原子超密磁存储的潜在前景。然而，该技术高度依赖零下260摄氏度以下的极低温真空环境以及耗时费力的人工逐点操纵，如何克服环境限制并实现高吞吐量的自动化原子制造，仍是该技术迈向实用计算存储必须面对的长期工程挑战。

Detailed notes — zh

## Background 该视频由 IBM 于 2013 年 4 月 30 日发布在 YouTube 平台上。视频简介指出，这是一部幕后纪录片，带领观众走进 IBM 实验室，展示研究人员如何操控原子制作出世界上最小的定格动画电影，并深入介绍了团队在原子级内存与数据存储领域的前沿研究。 ## TL;DR IBM 研究团队利用扫描隧道显微镜（STM）在零下 260 ℃ 的极低温环境下精确操控一氧化碳分子，逐帧移动了多达 5000 个原子，制作出展现小男孩与原子玩耍的定格动画短片《A Boy and His Atom》。在技术突破方面，传统商用存储需要约 100 万个原子来存储一个比特，而该团队证实仅用 12 个原子即可稳定存储一个数据比特，极大拓展了纳米存储的极限。研究人员通过探针牵引分子并借助声音反馈掌握位移，在追求科研极限的同时，也希望借由这一纯粹出于好奇心的微观探索激发年轻一代对科学的热情。 ## Atmosphere & style 全片洋溢着纯粹的探索激情与奇迹感，既有严谨前沿的物理学硬核科普，又充满了浪漫主义的人文情怀。科学家们面对镜头时流露出孩童般纯真的兴奋感，从最初觉得移动原子拍电影是“疯狂之举”，到沉浸于听着探针拖动分子发出“咯吱”声的创作过程，叙事节奏兼具科技感与温情。整部片子宛如一封写给微观宇宙的诗意情书，让观众真切感受到基础科学研究中那股由好奇心驱动的非凡魅力与感染力。 ## Bulletin - [00:03](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xA4QWwaweWA&t=3s) IBM 研究团队通过扫描隧道显微镜（STM）逐个操控一氧化碳分子，制作出放大倍数达 1 亿倍的世界最小定格动画电影。 - [00:03](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xA4QWwaweWA&t=3s) 研究人员在实验中累计移动了多达 5000 个原子/分子，打破了过往同类微观操作的数量纪录。 - [02:12](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xA4QWwaweWA&t=132s) 在极限存储研究中，IBM 成功实现仅用 12 个原子稳定存储一个比特，远低于当前商用技术所需的约 100 万个原子。 - [02:57](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xA4QWwaweWA&t=177s) 原子级操控依赖零下 260 ℃的极低温环境，并通过分子移动时产生的特征刮擦声反馈来精确判定移动的晶格步数。 ## Key takeaways - [00:03](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xA4QWwaweWA&t=3s) 向微观尺度探索能揭示与宏观宇宙同等奇特的基本粒子结构，IBM 团队以此为基础构想了原子定格动画。 - [00:03](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xA4QWwaweWA&t=3s) 为了直观展现微观尺度，研究人员比喻：若一个原子有一颗橙子大小，真正的橙子将膨胀至整颗地球大小。 - [00:03](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xA4QWwaweWA&t=3s) 电影中的人物形象与画面背景完全由一氧化碳分子精准排列而成，图像放大倍数约达 1 亿倍。 - [00:03](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xA4QWwaweWA&t=3s) 制作动画类似微观绘画，团队不仅需微调分子逐帧绘制，还必须像“铲雪”一样清除基底表面多余的分子杂质。 - [02:12](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xA4QWwaweWA&t=132s) 传统半导体依赖缩微硅晶体管的技术路径正逼近物理极限，促使科研重心转向表面原子的磁学特性探索。 - [02:12](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xA4QWwaweWA&t=132s) 相较于商用存储每比特需约 100 万个原子，IBM 实验证明仅用 12 个原子即可稳定维持一个数据比特。 - [02:12](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xA4QWwaweWA&t=132s) 若原子存储技术完全实用化，便携设备的容量将从存储两部高清电影跃升至容纳整个人类历史上制作过的所有电影。 - [02:57](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xA4QWwaweWA&t=177s) 动画制作依靠两台扫描隧道显微镜（STM），且整个系统需在零下 260 ℃的极低温下运行以防止分子热漫游。 - [02:57](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xA4QWwaweWA&t=177s) STM 在成像模式下远距离扫描探测坐标，在移动模式下贴近分子利用微弱化学键力牵引其滑动。 - [02:57](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xA4QWwaweWA&t=177s) 分子在晶格间移动时会发出独特刮擦声（“grick, grick”），科研人员据此听声判断分子位移的晶格步数。 - [03:59](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xA4QWwaweWA&t=239s) 动画短片讲述了男孩亚当与原子玩耍的故事，旨在向公众普及纳米前沿并激励更多年轻人投身基础科学研究。 - [03:59](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xA4QWwaweWA&t=239s) 纯粹由好奇心驱动的基础科学探索虽然充满未知，但正是拓宽人类认知边界并为未来计算架构奠基的核心力量。 ## Detailed walkthrough ### [00:03](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xA4QWwaweWA&t=3s) 微观宇宙的探索与定格动画构想人类习惯于用望远镜仰望星空，观察恒星、星云和其他星系，惊叹于宇宙形成的奇异而有趣的结构。然而，如果调转方向，向着极微小的尺度向下观察，同样能看到由构成万物的基本粒子所创造的全新、奇特且令人兴奋的图景。IBM 研究团队正是立足于这一微观世界，开展了一项前所未有的尝试——利用原子来拍摄一部定格动画电影。这项任务听起来概念很简单，但在实际操作中极具挑战性，需要高度的专注力，因为必须将每一个原子精确放置在指定位置。科研人员使用一种能够在固体表面移动原子的工具，实现逐个原子的精准组装。起初，团队成员听到要用原子拍电影的想法时，第一反应是这太疯狂了，并担忧移动这些原子会是一项极其繁重的劳作。但当他们真正开始制作前几个动画帧时，整个过程变得非常酷且令人上瘾。整部电影的全部场景和主角——一个由原子构成的小男孩，都坐落在平整的基底表面上。制作动画的过程类似于微观绘画：研究人员通过一粒一粒地移动分子来绘制出一个微小的画面，保存该帧画面后，再微调分子位置进入下一帧，逐步串联起一个故事。这是一项极其艰巨的任务，此前从未有人（包括团队自身）移动过多达 5000 个原子。在实际操作中，研究人员不仅要用一氧化碳分子拼出人物形象，还必须像“铲雪”一样清理掉周围多余杂乱的分子，以保证每一帧画面的纯净与清晰。 - 显微镜下的图像放大倍数达到了约 1 亿倍。 - 为形象展示原子的微小，研究人员给出了一个尺度比喻：如果一个原子有一颗橙子那么大，那么一颗真正的橙子就会有整颗地球那么大。 - 动画角色与图案均由一氧化碳分子（Carbon Monoxide）精准排列构建。 --- ### [02:12](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xA4QWwaweWA&t=132s) 从晶体管缩放到 12 原子的极限数据存储过去 40 年间，半导体行业的核心工作基本上是围绕着相同的硅晶体管进行尺寸缩微，从而在同一颗芯片上集成更多晶体管。然而，随着物理极限的临近，IBM 的研究重点转向了表面原子的磁学特性，试图探究微观存储的终极边界。科研团队希望解答一个核心问题：“How small can you make a magnet and still use it for data storage?” 现有的商用数据存储技术通常需要大约 100 万个原子才能稳定维持一个磁比特。但 IBM 研究人员发现，利用他们所选择和研究的材料，仅需 12 个原子就足以稳定存储一个数据比特。如果这种极致的原子存储技术投入实用，将带来计算与存储能力的飞跃：用户随身携带的移动设备中，装入的将不再是仅仅两部高清电影，而是能够轻松容纳整个人类历史上所制作过的所有电影。 ```mermaid flowchart LR accTitle: 数据存储技术所需原子量对比 accDescr: 对比传统商业存储与 IBM 纳米原子存储在单个比特所需原子数上的巨大跨越 subgraph CurrentTech["当前商用存储技术"] A["约 1,000,000 个原子"] --> B["稳定存储 1 个比特 (Bit)"] end subgraph AtomicTech["IBM 表面原子存储研究"] C["仅需 12 个原子"] --> D["稳定存储 1 个比特 (Bit)"] end ``` --- ### [02:57](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xA4QWwaweWA&t=177s) 扫描隧道显微镜的针尖操控与物理反馈制作这部原子电影的核心设备是两台扫描隧道显微镜（Scanning Tunneling Microscope, STM）。整个操作主要在显微镜室展开，核心区域包含极细的探针（针尖）和样品台。为了确保原子和分子能够稳定定格、不发生热漫游，整个实验环境被冷却至零下 260 多摄氏度（约为零下 260 ℃）。在具体操控时，显微镜会在两种模式之间灵活切换： 1. **成像模式（Imaging Mode）：** 针尖与样品表面保持相对较远的距离，扫描并探测分子的具体分布与坐标。 2. **移动模式（Moving Mode）：** 针尖大幅靠近目标原子或分子，使两者之间产生微弱的化学键相互作用（化学反应力），进而牵引目标分子在基底表面滑动至预设的新位置。在实验室拖拽分子时，系统会产生一种独特的声学反馈。当分子跟随探针在表面跨越晶格位点时，会发出沙沙的刮擦声（“grick, grick, grick”）。这种声音对操作人员而言至关重要，科研人员可以通过听取声响的顿挫次数，直观判断出分子在表面上到底移动了多少个原子位点（例如连续响三声即代表移动了三个晶格位置）。 --- ### [03:59](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xA4QWwaweWA&t=239s) 《少年与原子》的科学愿景与好奇心驱动尽管团队平时的核心工作是构建能够用于未来计算与数据存储的纳米结构，但这次他们选择讲述一个质朴的故事：一个名叫亚当（Adam）的男孩与一个原子相遇相爱、共同翩翩起舞、玩耍嬉戏的旅程。对于研究人员而言，能够向全世界分享自己深沉热爱的微观领域是一件令人无比振奋的事情。他们希望这部作品能激发公众对原子尺度奇迹的惊叹与好奇。一位科学家由衷表达了对科学普及与人才培养的期许：“If I can do this by making a movie and I can get 1,000 kids to join science rather than go into law school, I would be super happy.” “The ability to do something just because you find it interesting is a really important thing, particularly for research because that's how you stumble across things that are new.” 研究人员指出，尽管现在无法精确预知未来的计算技术究竟会演变成何种形态，但这类纯粹出于兴趣和好奇心的基础探索，正在为未来科技奠定关键的科学基石，不仅能大幅拓宽人类的想象力边界，更让科学界在探索未知世界的道路上赢得先机。 ## Notable quotes > [03:59](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xA4QWwaweWA&t=239s) The ability to do something just because you find it interesting is a really important thing, particularly for research because that's how you stumble across things that are new. ## Mentioned IBM, 扫描隧道显微镜, 一氧化碳分子, 亚当 ## Video description How did IBM researchers move all those atoms to make the world's smallest movie? This short behind-the-scenes documentary takes you inside the lab. Meet the scientists, see how they made a movie with atoms, and find out more about their research in the field of atomic memory and data storage. See the world's smallest movie at http://youtu.be/oSCX78-8-q0. Learn more about atomic memory, data storage and big data at http://www.ibm.com/madewithatoms [Source](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xA4QWwaweWA)

Source quotes

[3:59] The ability to do something just because you find it interesting is a really important thing, particularly for research because that's how you stumble across things that are new.

Source quotes

[3:59] IBM researcher: If I can do this by making a movie and I can get 1,000 kids to join science rather than go into law school, I would be super happy.

Original transcript

[0:03] We can look up at the sky and see [0:06] the stars and, and nebulas and other galaxies with a telescope and [0:12] be excited by the strange, interesting patterns the universe forms. [0:16] And we can also look in the other direction, down towards the small, [0:20] see new and strange and exciting patterns that are formed by these [0:27] pieces of the universe that we're all made out of. [0:30] You know, we're trying to make a movie using atoms and so [0:33] that sounds like a simple concept [0:35] but, in reality, of course, these atoms, [0:37] it does take some concentration because you want to get them [0:40] exactly in the right spot. [0:46] We have a tool that allows to move atoms on surfaces [0:49] and build structures one atom at a time [0:50] and we want to explore [0:52] how can we use atoms on surfaces to do computation and data storage. [0:58] I thought when I first heard that [1:00] they're gonna make a movie out of atoms, [1:02] I thought that's crazy. [laughing] [1:05] I was worried that it would be a lot of work moving these atoms [1:10] and we've started making some of the frames. [1:14] It's kind of cool and it's addictive. [1:16] All the action of our movie, our little guy [1:19] made out of atoms is going to be [1:21] right on top of one of these surfaces. [1:24] So to make this animation, we move molecules around [1:26] one at a time to draw a little picture. [1:29] And we save that picture and move on to the next frame [1:33] to start to tell a story. [1:35] This is a very challenging task [1:36] because nobody, as far as we know, including ourselves, [1:39] has ever moved 5,000 atoms. [1:41] Now we see the man that's built with all this [1:43] carbon monoxide molecules [1:45] and on some of them we would have to shovel a way [1:48] to make it really be the movie frame, [1:49] so we would have to clean up a little bit here. [1:52] When we see the image in the microscope, [1:55] we see it magnified about 100 million times. [1:58] if an atom was the size of an orange, [2:01] then the orange [2:02] would be the size of the whole planet earth. [2:12] What we have been doing for the last 40 years is [2:14] we've taken essentially the same silicon transistor [2:17] and we scaled it down, [2:18] putting correspondingly more transistors on the same chip. [2:21] Now, very recently what we have done is [2:23] we've been interested in the magnetic properties of [2:25] atoms on surfaces. [2:26] And really what we wanted to answer is a very simple question. [2:29] How small can you make a magnet and still use it [2:31] for data storage? [2:32] We know that we can make it stably [2:35] out of a million atoms because that's what's done in [2:38] current technologies. [2:39] And we found that for the materials that we chose [2:42] and that we're able to work with, [2:43] only 12 atoms is sufficient. [2:46] You could carry around not just, you know, [2:48] 2 movies on your iPhone or something, [2:50] you could carry around any movie that was ever, [2:52] ever produced basically. [2:57] We're using 2 scanning tunneling microscopes to make this movie. [3:00] First, we need to look at the surface [3:02] and we need to figure out where the atoms are. [3:04] So here we have the atom that we want to move, [3:06] here we have our needle [3:07] and we switch between the imaging mode [3:09] where stay relatively far away [3:12] to the moving mode but it get close in. [3:14] And now these 2 atoms are so close [3:16] that they chemically react with each other. [3:18] And so then we can drag this atom along the surface, [3:20] position it to a new location. [3:22] Here you are actually in the microscope room. [3:25] This is the room where the actual tip is, [3:27] where the sample is, where the action is taking place. [3:30] We're working at a temperature of minus [3:31] 260 something degrees centigrade. [3:34] We do this so that these atoms hold still. [3:37] When we're moving atoms in the laboratory, [3:39] you'll actually hear a noise. [3:40] [noise] [3:43] Now the sound you hear [3:44] is the sound of the molecule following the tip along the surface. [3:47] For us, hearing this scratchy sound is important feedback [3:51] because we can count how many positions have you actually moved. [3:54] You go [grick, grick, grick] [3:56] and you can say all right, this was 3 locations. [3:59] Now, of course, we usually build things [4:00] that can do computation data storage. [4:02] In this case, we're just telling a very simple story [4:04] of a boy named Adam falling in love with an atom, [4:08] dancing together, playing together. [4:10] I think it's very exciting [4:11] to be able to share something [4:13] that I really love. [4:14] Maybe it helps other people [4:16] be fascinated by the size of atoms. [4:19] If I can do this by making a movie and I can get [4:22] 1,000 kids to join science [4:23] rather than go into law school, [4:25] I would be super happy. [4:26] The ability to do something [4:28] just because you find it interesting [4:30] is a really important thing, particularly for research [4:33] because that's how you stumble across things that are new. [4:37] Now we can't know in detail what those [4:39] future technologies will be [4:41] but we can lay the scientific groundwork for them. [4:44] And we can spur our own imaginations [4:48] and get a head start in exploring these new worlds.