Images of crystalline alkanes obtained with scanning tunneling microscopy

Uncoated layered alkane (paraffin) objects with a thickness of up to a hundred nanometers have been imaged by scanning tunneling microscopy. This is surprising in view of the generally assumed excellent insulating nature of paraffins. Tilted layers were observed for n-alkanes of various chain lengths. The chemical nature of the imaged objects was demonstrated by the changes of structure observed near the respective melting temperature. © 1989 Springer-Verlag.