Atomic resolution imaging of noble metal thin films by scanning tunneling microscopy
- Univ. of Missouri, Kansas City (USA)
The authors present scanning tunneling microscope (STM) images which resolve rows of close-packed metal atoms on the surface of Cu, Ag, and Au thin films. These samples were prepared by evaporating metallic elements onto cleaved graphite substrates in vacuum with a base pressure of 10{sup {minus}6} Torr. The thickness of the thin films is a few hundred angstroms, Cu(111), Ag(111), Au(111), and Au(110) films deposited on the surface of pyrolytic graphite have been imaged in air using a STM with low bias voltage, operating in the constant current mode. An average corrugation amplitude of {approx} 0.3 {angstrom} was measured for the Cu, Ag, and Au surfaces. The observed results are in good agreement with the structures predicted from theory.
- OSTI ID:
- 6182356
- Journal Information:
- Applied Physics Communications; (USA), Vol. 10:1-2; ISSN 0277-9374
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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