A novel ultrahigh vacuum scanning tunneling microscope for surface science studies

Abstract

A novel design of a scanning tunneling microscope (STM) for surface science studies is described. The STM is fully compatible with ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) and offers the possibility of performing individual STM scans over a large region of the sample surface (≂10 mm2). The sample coarse approach is realized by a fine pitch screw, which shifts two wedges against each other. In order to incorporate the STM in an UHV system for the standard preparation and analyzing techniques of surface science, a special sample holder and sample transfer system has been developed. For defined heating of the sample, disconnectable electrical wiring for both a resistively heated oven and a thermocouple has been integrated within the sample holder.

Real Space Investigation of the Roughening and Deconstruction Transitions of Au(110)

“…The experiments were performed in an ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) chamber (base pressure ,1 3 10 210 mbar) equipped with a temperature-variable UHV-STM, LEED, and the usual facilities for sample preparation [17]. The sample holder of our home-built STM [17] includes a resistively heated oven onto which the sample is mounted.…”

“…The sample holder of our home-built STM [17] includes a resistively heated oven onto which the sample is mounted. The heater can be operated on the manipulator for preparation as well as in the position of the STM tip, where reliable STM experiments at temperatures of presently up to ഠ1000 K are possible.…”

“…Thermal drift converges to tolerable values within 30-45 min after the heating current has been changed. The Au(110) sample, which was investigated already in a previous study [17], was prepared by repeated cycles of Ne sputtering and heating to 670 K, until sharp LEED patterns of Au(110)-͑1 3 2͒ were obtained. At room temperature the sample exhibits extended ͑1 3 2͒ reconstructed terraces [ Fig.…”

New Mechanism for Single Atom Manipulation

“…The experiments were performed in an ultrahigh vacuum chamber (base pressure ,1 3 10 210 hPa) equipped with a home-built variable temperature STM [15], low energy electron diffraction and the usual facilities for sample preparation. The Ag(110) sample was prepared by (c), (d) Sphere models to illustrate atom pulling via an exchange mechanism in orthogonal (c) and diagonal (d) scans (for details see text); we remark that the respective experimental single scans may deviate slightly from the path given by the dashed lines as indicated, e.g., by the considerable corrugation of the terrace atoms in scan 41. repeated cycles of Ne ion bombardment and annealing at 600 K. The STM images were taken in the constant current mode with chemically etched tungsten tips; they were scanned from top to bottom with the fast scanning direction running from left to right, but at different angles with respect to the close packed rows of Ag(110).…”

Oxygen adsorption on Co(101¯0): Different reconstruction behavior of hcp (101¯0) and fcc(110)

“…The experiments were performed in a UHV chamber 0031-9007/93/71 (7)/l 047 (4)$06.00 © 1993 The American Physical Society (base pressure <2xl0" 10 mbar) equipped with UHV-STM, LEED, and standard facilities for sample prepajation [17]. After cutting by spark erosion the Co(lOlO) sample was mechanically and electrochemically polished to a mirror finish.…”