Microwave Frequency Comb from a Semiconductor in a Scanning Tunneling Microscope

Hagmann, Mark J.; Yarotski, Dmitry A.; Mousa, Marwan S.

doi:10.1017/S1431927616012563

Microwave Frequency Comb from a Semiconductor in a Scanning Tunneling Microscope

Journal Article · Tue Dec 20 04:00:00 EST 2016 · Microscopy and Microanalysis

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1017/S1431927616012563· OSTI ID:1483526

Hagmann, Mark J.; Yarotski, Dmitry A.; Mousa, Marwan S.

Abstract

Quasi-periodic excitation of the tunneling junction in a scanning tunneling microscope, by a mode-locked ultrafast laser, superimposes a regular sequence of 15 fs pulses on the DC tunneling current. In the frequency domain, this is a frequency comb with harmonics at integer multiples of the laser pulse repetition frequency. With a gold sample the 200th harmonic at 14.85 GHz has a signal-to-noise ratio of 25 dB, and the power at each harmonic varies inversely with the square of the frequency. Now we report the first measurements with a semiconductor where the laser photon energy must be less than the bandgap energy of the semiconductor; the microwave frequency comb must be measured within 200μm of the tunneling junction; and the microwave power is 25 dB below that with a metal sample and falls off more rapidly at the higher harmonics. Our results suggest that the measured attenuation of the microwave harmonics is sensitive to the semiconductor spreading resistance within 1 nm of the tunneling junction. This approach may enable sub-nanometer carrier profiling of semiconductors without requiring the diamond nanoprobes in scanning spreading resistance microscopy.

Research Organization:: Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Science (SC). Basic Energy Sciences (BES) (SC-22)

DOE Contract Number:: 89233218CNA000001

OSTI ID:: 1483526

Report Number(s):: LA-UR-18-23275

Journal Information:: Microscopy and Microanalysis, Journal Name: Microscopy and Microanalysis Journal Issue: 02 Vol. 23; ISSN 1431-9276; ISSN applab

Publisher:: Microscopy Society of America (MSA)

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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