Note: A simple, convenient, and reliable method to prepare gold scanning tunneling microscope tips

Journal Article · Fri Jan 15 00:00:00 EST 2010 · Review of Scientific Instruments

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3293459· OSTI ID:22053629

Guoguang, Qian; Saha, Swatilekha; Lewis, K M ^[1]

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1. Department of Physics, Applied Physics, and Astronomy, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, New York 12180 (United States)

A simple method to prepare gold tips for scanning tunneling microscopy has been introduced. In this method, electrochemical etching without a hazardous electrolyte was employed. The setup uses basic laboratory instrumentation to control the etching process. This avoids purchasing complicated, expensive, and dedicated equipment for tip preparation. A procedure to optimize the etching parameters by setting the current limit is described. Etched tips were checked with both optical and scanning electron microscopy.

• OSTI ID: 22053629
• Journal Information: Review of Scientific Instruments, Vol. 81, Issue 1; Other Information: (c) 2010 American Institute of Physics; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0034-6748
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
CONTROL
ELECTROCHEMISTRY
ELECTROLYTES
ETCHING
GOLD
OPTICAL MICROSCOPY
SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
SCANNING TUNNELING MICROSCOPY