Individual atoms can be directly imaged using advanced microscopy techniques like AFM and STM.
the verdict
SUPPORTED
the evidence backs this
confidence 75/100
Multiple high-resolution microscopy studies confirm that advanced techniques like atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) routinely resolve individual atoms and atomic-scale defects.
Evidence for · 7
Revealing the Atomic Structure of Blue Phosphorus Phases on Au(111) with Noncontact Atomic Force Microscopy.
2026 · cited by 0
Noncontact atomic force microscopy is used to resolve blue phosphorus atomic structures and interfaces at the single-atom scale.
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More for · 6
Single atom chemical identification of TMD defects in ambient conditions.
2026 · cited by 0
Conductive atomic force microscopy achieves single-atom resolution imaging of atomic defects in transition metal dichalcogenides under ambient conditions.
A Free N-Heterocyclic Carbene and Its Metal Complex.
2026 · cited by 0
Scanning tunneling microscopy and atomic force microscopy resolve the molecular structure and chemical interactions of a free N-heterocyclic carbene down to the single-atom level.
Decoding atomic landscapes: Integrating electronic structure theory and high-resolution atomic force microscopy.
2026 · cited by 0
High-resolution atomic force microscopy enables direct visualization of chemical bonds, atomic structures, and individual heteroatoms.
Low Temperature Oxygen Activation on the NiAg(100) Single-Atom Alloy Surface.
2026 · cited by 0
Scanning tunneling microscopy successfully images single-atom alloy surfaces and individual catalytic atom sites.
Highly stable liquid-phase scanning tunneling microscope with dual modes for imaging biomolecules.
2026 · cited by 0
Scanning tunneling microscopy demonstrates high precision and atomic-level imaging capabilities under liquid conditions.
A Joule-Thomson low-temperature scanning tunneling microscope with vector magnet and rotatable scanning head.