arXiv:cond-mat/0305103cond-mat.mtrl-sci
Probing the shape of atoms in real space
Early discovery. Linked by one identifiable commenter. This paper is outside the main ranking; a mention is not an endorsement.
Abstract
The structure of single atoms in real space is investigated by scanning tunneling microscopy. Very high resolution is possible by a dramatic reduction of the tip-sample distance. The instabilities which are normally encountered when using small tip-sample distances are avoided by oscillating the tip of the scanning tunneling microscope vertically with respect to the sample. The surface atoms of Si(111)-(7 x 7) with their well-known electronic configuration are used to image individual samarium, cobalt, iron and silicon atoms. The resulting images resemble the charge density corresponding to 4f, 3d and 3p atomic orbitals.
As commented elsewhere, the OP renders look perhaps not quite right. But in general... Atoms are little balls. With electron density that's mostly spherically symmetric. It's very high at the nucleus, and falls off exponentially outward. Down by several orders of magnitude by…
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