Robust procedure for creating and characterizing the atomic structure of scanning tunneling microscope tips

Abstract

Scanning tunneling microscopes (STM) are used extensively for studying and manipulating matter at the atomic scale. In spite of the critical role of the STM tip, the control of the atomic-scale shape of STM tips remains a poorly solved problem. Here, we present a method for preparing tips {\it in-situ} and for ensuring the crystalline structure and reproducibly preparing tip structure up to the second atomic layer. We demonstrate a controlled evolution of such tips starting from undefined tip shapes.

12 pages preprint-style; 5 figures

References in corpus (5)

• Quantum properties of atomic-sized conductors
• Imaging the Effects of Individual Zinc Impurity Atoms on Superconductivity in Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+delta
• Conductance fluctuations as a tool for investigating the quantum modes in atomic size metallic contacts
• Mechanical annealing of metallic electrodes at the atomic scale
• Highly reproducible low temperature scanning tunnelling microscopy and spectroscopy with in situ prepared tips

Cited by in corpus (6)

• Embedding Human Heuristics in Machine-Learning-Enabled Probe Microscopy
• Fabrication of on-chip probes for double-tip scanning tunneling microscopy
• Nanofabricated tips for device-based scanning tunneling microscopy
• Electronic properties of atomically coherent square PbSe nanocrystal superlattice resolved by STS
• Insights into electronic and transport properties of phosphorene nanorings in two perpendicular directions: Effects of circular and elliptical external potentials
• Dynamic bonding influenced by the proximity of adatoms to one-atom high step edges