Physics – Condensed Matter – Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics
Scientific paper
2010-01-08
Physics
Condensed Matter
Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics
to be published in JVST B May/June 2010
Scientific paper
To obtain maximal resolution in STM and AFM, the size of the protruding tip orbital has to be minimized. Beryllium as tip material is a promising candidate for enhanced resolution because a beryllium atom has just four electrons, leading to a small covalent radius of only 96 pm. Besides that, beryllium is conductive and has a high elastic modulus, which is a necessity for a stable tip apex. However beryllium tips that are prepared ex situ, are covered with a robust oxide layer, which cannot be removed by just heating the tip. Here we present a successful preparation method that combines the heating of the tip by field emission and a mild collision with a clean metal plate. That method yields a clean, oxide-free tip surface as proven by a work function of as deduced from a current-distance curve. Additionally, a STM image of the Si-(111)-(7x7) is presented to prove the single-atom termination of the beryllium tip.
Giessibl Franz J.
Hofmann Thomas
Welker Joachim
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