Atomic precision imaging with an on-chip scanning tunneling microscope integrated into a commercial ultrahigh vacuum STM system

Journal Article · Thu Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 2021 · Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology B

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1116/6.0001107· OSTI ID:1848738

Alipour, Afshin ^[1]; Moheimani, S. O. Reza ^[2]; Owen, James H. G. ^[3]; Fuchs, Ehud ^[3]; Randall, John N. ^[3]

---

1. Univ. of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX (United States); OSTI
2. Univ. of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX (United States)
3. Zyvex Labs LLC, Richardson, Texas (United States).

In this article, we replace the Z axis of the piezotube of a conventional Ultrahigh-Vacuum (UHV) Scanning Tunneling Microscope (STM) with a one-degree-of-freedom Microelectromechanical-System (MEMS) nanopositioner. As a result, a hybrid system is realized in which motions in the XY plane are carried out by the piezotube, while the MEMS device performs the Z-axis positioning with a smaller footprint and higher sensitivity. With the proposed system and a feedback loop, STM imaging is conducted on an H-passivated Si (100)-2×1 sample in a UHV condition, demonstrating that this on-chip STM is conducive to atomic precision scanning tunneling microscopy.

• Research Organization: Univ. of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE; USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE)
• Grant/Contract Number: EE0008322
• OSTI ID: 1848738
• Alternate ID(s): OSTI ID: 1798536
• Journal Information: Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology B, Journal Name: Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology B Journal Issue: 4 Vol. 39; ISSN 2166-2746
• Publisher: American Vacuum Society / AIP
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

Engineering
Physics
Science & Technology - Other Topics