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Title: High vacuum tip-enhanced Raman spectroscope based on a scanning tunneling microscope

Journal Article · · Review of Scientific Instruments
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4943291· OSTI ID:22597069
 [1];  [1];  [1]
  1. Beijing National Laboratory for Condensed Matter Physics, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, P. O. Box 603-146, Beijing 100190 (China)

In this paper, we present the construction of a high-vacuum tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (HV-TERS) system that allows in situ sample preparation and measurement. A detailed description of the prototype instrument is presented with experimental validation of its use and novel ex situ experimental results using the HV-TERS system. The HV-TERS system includes three chambers held under a 10{sup −7} Pa vacuum. The three chambers are an analysis chamber, a sample preparation chamber, and a fast loading chamber. The analysis chamber is the core chamber and contains a scanning tunneling microscope (STM) and a Raman detector coupled with a 50 × 0.5 numerical aperture objective. The sample preparation chamber is used to produce single-crystalline metal and sub-monolayer molecular films by molecular beam epitaxy. The fast loading chamber allows ex situ preparation of samples for HV-TERS analysis. Atomic resolution can be achieved by the STM on highly ordered pyrolytic graphite. We demonstrate the measurement of localized temperature using the Stokes and anti-Stokes TERS signals from a monolayer of 1,2-benzenedithiol on a gold film using a gold tip. Additionally, plasmonic catalysis can be monitored label-free at the nanoscale using our device. Moreover, the HV-TERS experiments show simultaneously activated infrared and Raman vibrational modes, Fermi resonance, and some other non-linear effects that are not observed in atmospheric TERS experiments. The high spatial and spectral resolution and pure environment of high vacuum are beneficial for basic surface studies.

OSTI ID:
22597069
Journal Information:
Review of Scientific Instruments, Vol. 87, Issue 3; Other Information: (c) 2016 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0034-6748
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English