Layer‐by‐layer growth and decomposition of an organic crystal observed in real time by atomic force microscopy

Layer‐by‐layer growth of an insulating organic molecular crystal has been observed for the first time in situ and in real time using the atomic force microscope. It is shown that the growth and decomposition processes occurring at step edges are induced and controlled locally by the tip‐sample interaction. Detached molecules can be followed and their fate recorded. A mechanism is suggested for the simultaneous decomposition, molecular transport, and layer growth, and stability conditions are derived for nucleating islands.