An adparticle on the surface is moved with the STM tip along the surface to the desired place without losing contact with the substrate. In lateral manipulation three basic different modes can be discerned: (1) pulling where the adparticle discontinuously follows the tip from one adsorption site to another due to attractive forces; (2) pushing where the adparticle moves discontinuously in front of the tip due to repulsive interaction; and (3) sliding where the adparticle is trapped under the tip and follows its motion instantaneously and continuously. See also Sections 3 and 4.

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