Single molecule detection has contributed to our understanding of the unique mechanisms of life. Unlike artificial man-made machines, biological molecular machines integrate thermal noises rather than avoid them. For example, single molecule detection has demonstrated that myosin motors undergo biased Brownian motion for stepwise movement and that single protein molecules spontaneously change t...

Molecular machines can convert the chemical energy into mechanical work through intra- or intermolecular motions at single-molecule scale under external stimuli, such as heating, illumination, and so on. In recent decades, working mechanisms of various molecular machines, shuttles, motors, walkers, etc. have been extensively studied different ensemble experiments, where unique unexpected behavi...

A molecular machine is an assembly of a definite number of molecular components designed to perform mechanical motions as a result of an appropriate external stimulation. Like their macroscopic counterparts, nanoscale machines need energy to operate. Energy can be supplied through (i) chemical reactions, (ii) electrochemical processes, and (iii) photoinduced processes. Although most molecular m...