Scanning tunneling thermometer

Patent · 04 January 2022

OSTI ID:1892506

Chinivaranahalli Shastry, Abhay Shankar; Stafford, Charles Allen

Various examples are provided related to scanning tunneling thermometers and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) techniques. In one example, a method includes simultaneously measuring conductance and thermopower of a nanostructure by toggling between: applying a time modulated voltage to a nanostructure disposed on an interconnect structure, the time modulated voltage applied at a probe tip positioned over the nanostructure, while measuring a resulting current at a contact of the interconnect structure; and applying a time modulated temperature signal to the nanostructure at the probe tip, while measuring current through a calibrated thermoresistor in series with the probe tip. In another example, a device includes an interconnect structure with connections to a first reservoir and a second reservoir; and a scanning tunneling probe in contact with a probe reservoir. Electrical measurements are simultaneously obtained for temperature and voltage applied to a nanostructure between the reservoirs.

• Research Organization: Univ. of Arizona, Tucson, AZ (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: SC0006699
• Assignee: Arizona Board of Regents on Behalf of the University of Arizona (Tucson, AZ)
• Patent Number(s): 11,215,636
• Application Number: 17/092,722
• OSTI ID: 1892506
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English