This research proposal focuses on the progress in the study of local interactions by Scanning Probe Methods (SPM). The research in this field is only possible due to our long-standing experience and equipment: Nanolino: Combined STM/AFM at room temperature and Friction Force Microscope nc-AFM at 4K: Force microscopy at low temperature Nanolab: STM in ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) combined with MBE and ESCA The following research topics will be addressed in this period: 1. High-resolution force microscopy experiments: To further improve the stability and knowledge about the electronic and the structural properties at molecular and atomic scale we will continue developing improved techniques of detection as well as increase the understanding of the short range interaction in nc-AFM. For that purpose we concentrate our research on mainly three topics, the analysis of the short range interaction determined by multimodal nc-AFM, the development of enhanced analytical models to quantify the measured signals as well as the further analysis of the growth and the structural properties of organic molecules on insulating surfaces. The gap between contact measurements and noncontact measurements is becoming continuously smaller so that we expect to get detailed information on the contact formation as well as on frictional properties by both techniques. 2. Electrons, atoms and molecules in supramolecular porous networks: Properties in local and periodic confinement We propose to use specifically designed surface mounted supramolecular porous networks as templates to build complex and functional architectures at the surface. It is the study of site specific adsorption of molecules, their diffusion/libration within the confinement of the pores, as well as cooperative effects mediated by electronic or mechanic coupling between neighbouring sites across the two-dimensional (2D) network which provides the scientific focus of this proposal. Importantly these studies are performed in dependence of both, the sample temperature and in dependence of variable, local forces and fields through the local probe (Scanning Tunneling Microscopy (STM), tf-Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and nc-AFM), i.e. in dependence of the tip-sample interaction. Complementary Low Energy Electron Diffraction (LEED), Photo-Electron Spectroscopy (PES) and X-ray Standing Wave (XSW) experiments are performed to assess structural features of the supramolecular networks on the surface. This research aims at understanding increasingly complex supramolecular systems towards the design of novel functional surface properties, also by collaboration with theory.