The scanning tunnelling microscope as an operative tool: doing physics and chemistry with single atoms and molecules

Author(s):  
Karl-Heinz Rieder ◽  
Gerhard Meyer ◽  
Saw-Wai Hla ◽  
Francesca Moresco ◽  
Kai F. Braun ◽  
...  
2013 ◽  
Vol 250 (9) ◽  
pp. 1671-1751 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karina Morgenstern ◽  
Nicolas Lorente ◽  
Karl-Heinz Rieder

Author(s):  
C. Julian Chen

The scanning tunnelling microscope (STM) was invented by Binnig and Rohrer and received a Nobel Prize of Physics in 1986. Together with the atomic force microscope (AFM), it enables non-destructive observing and mapping atoms and molecules on solid surfaces down to a picometer resolution. A recent development is the non-destructive observation of wavefunctions in individual atoms and molecules, including nodal structures inside the wavefunctions. STM and AFM have become indespensible instruments for scientists of various disciplines, including physicists, chemists, engineers, and biologists to visualize and utilize the microscopic world around us. Since the publication of the first edition in 1993, this book has been recognized as a standard introduction for everyone that starts working with scanning probe microscopes, and a useful reference book for those more advanced in the field. After an Overview chapter accessible for newcomers at an entry level presenting the basic design, scientific background, and illustrative applications, the book has three Parts. Part I, Principles, provides the most systematic and detailed theory of its scientific bases from basic quantum mechancis and condensed-metter physics in all available literature. Quantitative analysis of its imaging mechanism for atoms, molecules, and wavefunctions is detailed. Part II, Instrumentation, provides down to earth descriptions of its building components, including piezoelectric scanners, vibration isolation, electronics, software, probe tip preparation, etc. Part III, Related methods, presenting two of its most important siblings, scanning tunnelling specgroscopy and atomic force miscsoscopy. The book has five appendices for background topics, and 405 references for further readings.


Nature ◽  
1990 ◽  
Vol 344 (6266) ◽  
pp. 524-526 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. M. Eigler ◽  
E. K. Schweizer

Author(s):  
W.K. Lo ◽  
J.C.H. Spence

An improved design for a combination Scanning Tunnelling Microscope/TEM specimen holder is presented. It is based on earlier versions which have been used to test the usefulness of such a device. As with the earlier versions, this holder is meant to replace the standard double-tilt specimen holder of an unmodified Philips 400T TEM. It allows the sample to be imaged simultaneously by both the STM and the TEM when the TEM is operated in the reflection mode (see figure 1).The resolution of a STM is determined by its tip radii as well as its stability. This places strict limitations on the mechanical stability of the tip with respect to the sample. In this STM the piezoelectric tube scanner is rigidly mounted inside the endcap of the STM holder. The tip coarse approach to the sample (z-direction) is provided by an Inchworm which is located outside the TEM vacuum.


2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gaolei Zhan ◽  
Younes Makoudi ◽  
Judicael Jeannoutot ◽  
Simon Lamare ◽  
Michel Féron ◽  
...  

Over the past decade, on-surface fabrication of organic nanostructures has been widely investigated for the development of molecular electronic devices, nanomachines, and new materials. Here, we introduce a new strategy to obtain alkyl oligomers in a controlled manner using on-surface radical oligomerisations that are triggered by the electrons/holes between the sample surface and the tip of a scanning tunnelling microscope. The resulting radical-mediated mechanism is substantiated by a detailed theoretical study. This electron transfer event only occurs when <i>V</i><sub>s</sub> < -3 V or <i>V</i><sub>s</sub> > + 3 V and allows access to reactive radical species under exceptionally mild conditions. This transfer can effectively ‘switch on’ a sequence leading to formation of oligomers of defined size distribution due to the on-surface confinement of reactive species. Our approach enables new ways to initiate and control radical oligomerisations with tunnelling electrons, leading to molecularly precise nanofabrication.


Nanoscale ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tuhin Shuvra Basu ◽  
Simon Diesch ◽  
Ryoma Hayakawa ◽  
Yutaka Wakayama ◽  
Elke Scheer

We examined the modified electronic structure and single-carrier transport of individual hybrid core–shell metal–semiconductor Au-ZnS quantum dots using a scanning tunnelling microscope.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document