How molecules self-assemble into superstructures: Researchers control the size of molecular superstructures on surfaces

Most technical functional units are built bit by bit according to a well-designed construction plan. The components are sequentially put in place by humans or machines. Life, however, starts bottom-up with molecular self-assembly. To better understand the growth of macroscopic structures from molecules, a research team has mimicked such processes with custom-made molecules. They fabricated a variety of patterns over a wide range of sizes including the largest structures reported so far.