Scanning Tunneling Microscope (STM).ppt

Scanning Tunneling Microscope (STM) Technology Required for a STM Piezoelectric effect Piezoelectric scanners Coarse approach Feedback regulator Vibration damping Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) Deflection sensors Beam-deflection method AFM Cantilever and TipTo obtain an extra sharp AFM tip one can attach a carbon nanotube to a regular, micromachined silicon tip. Dynamic Force Detection STM versus AFM * x feedbackregulator high voltage amplifier z y I Negative feedback keeps the current constant (pA-nA) by moving the tip up and down. Contours of constant current are recorded which correspond to constant charge density. probing tip sample xyz-Piezo-Scanner Sharp, clean tip (Etching, ion bombardment, field desorption by pulsing) Piezo-electric scanner (Tube scanner, xyz scanner) Coarse approach (Micrometer screws, stick-slip motors) Vibrational damping  (Spring suspension with eddy current damping, viton stack) Feed-back electronics (Amplify the current difference, negative feedback to the z-piezo) Usually, only one atom at the end of the tip carries most of the current. This is the atom that sticks out the most. (Remember the factor 100 decrease in the tunneling current per atom diameter.) The atom at the end of the tip compares to a ping-pong ball at the top of the Matterhorn. (The STM was invented in Switzerland ! ) ?L Piezoelectric scanners work with the transverse piezoelectric effect. The crystal is elongated perpendicular to the applied electric field. L ? E electric field, L length, ?L elongation, d31 transverse piezoelectric coefficient A typical material is PZT (lead zirconium titanate). The ratio between lead and zirconium determines the Curie-temperature and the piezoelectric coefficient. Example: PZT-5H: d31 = -2.62?/V i.e. L=1 cm, ?L = 1 ?m, E=380 V/mm ? E A piezoelectric material changes its length when an electric field is applied. Vice versa, it generates an electric field when squeezed or expanded. The ana