Metallic atomically-thin layered silicon epitaxially grown on silicene/ZrB 2

DOE PAGES

Gill, Tobias G.; Fleurence, Antoine; Warner, Ben; ...

2017-02-17

We observe a new two-dimensional (2D) silicon crystal, using low energy electron diffraction (LEED) and scanning tunnelling microscopy (STM) and it's formed by depositing additional Si atoms onto spontaneously-formed epitaxial silicene on a ZrB 2 thin film. From scanning tunnelling spectroscopy (STS) studies, we find that this atomically-thin layered silicon has distinctly different electronic properties. Angle resolved photoelectron spectroscopy (ARPES) reveals that, in sharp contrast to epitaxial silicene, the layered silicon exhibits significantly enhanced density of states at the Fermi level resulting from newly formed metallic bands. Furthermore, the 2D growth of this material could allow for direct contacting tomore » the silicene surface and demonstrates the dramatic changes in electronic structure that can occur by the addition of even a single monolayer amount of material in 2D systems.« less

Alkali layered compounds interfaces for energy conversion and energy storage

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Papageorgopoulos, Chris A.

1996-01-01

During year one a new ultra-high vacuum, an Ar(+) ion sputterer, a low energy electron diffraction (LEED) system, an Auger electron spectrometer (AES), a work function measurement device with a Kelvin probe, and related accessories were used. The study found a focus in the adsorption of chalcogenides on Si and III-V compound semiconductors. In the second year, a scanning tunneling microscope was obtained along with a quadrapole mass spectrometer, power supplies, a computer, a chart recorder, etc. We started the systematic study on the adsorption of chalcogenides on the compound semiconductor surfaces. The third year saw the mounting of the scanning tunneling microscope (STM) on the existing UHV system. The investigation continued with the adsorption of Cs (alkali) on S-covered Si(100)2x1 surfaces. Then the adsorption of S on Cs-covered Si(100) surfaces was studied.

Structural and electrical properties of conducting diamond nanowires.

PubMed

Sankaran, Kamatchi Jothiramalingam; Lin, Yen-Fu; Jian, Wen-Bin; Chen, Huang-Chin; Panda, Kalpataru; Sundaravel, Balakrishnan; Dong, Chung-Li; Tai, Nyan-Hwa; Lin, I-Nan

2013-02-01

Conducting diamond nanowires (DNWs) films have been synthesized by N₂-based microwave plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition. The incorporation of nitrogen into DNWs films is examined by C 1s X-ray photoemission spectroscopy and morphology of DNWs is discerned using field-emission scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The electron diffraction pattern, the visible-Raman spectroscopy, and the near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy display the coexistence of sp³ diamond and sp² graphitic phases in DNWs films. In addition, the microstructure investigation, carried out by high-resolution TEM with Fourier transformed pattern, indicates diamond grains and graphitic grain boundaries on surface of DNWs. The same result is confirmed by scanning tunneling microscopy and scanning tunneling spectroscopy (STS). Furthermore, the STS spectra of current-voltage curves discover a high tunneling current at the position near the graphitic grain boundaries. These highly conducting regimes of grain boundaries form effective electron paths and its transport mechanism is explained by the three-dimensional (3D) Mott's variable range hopping in a wide temperature from 300 to 20 K. Interestingly, this specific feature of high conducting grain boundaries of DNWs demonstrates a high efficiency in field emission and pave a way to the next generation of high-definition flat panel displays or plasma devices.

Sample mounting and transfer for coupling an ultrahigh vacuum variable temperature beetle scanning tunneling microscope with conventional surface probes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nafisi, Kourosh; Ranau, Werner; Hemminger, John C.

2001-01-01

We present a new ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) chamber for surface analysis and microscopy at controlled, variable temperatures. The new instrument allows surface analysis with Auger electron spectroscopy, low energy electron diffraction, quadrupole mass spectrometer, argon ion sputtering gun, and a variable temperature scanning tunneling microscope (VT-STM). In this system, we introduce a novel procedure for transferring a sample off a conventional UHV manipulator and onto a scanning tunneling microscope in the conventional ''beetle'' geometry, without disconnecting the heating or thermocouple wires. The microscope, a modified version of the Besocke beetle microscope, is mounted on a 2.75 in. outer diameter UHVmore » flange and is directly attached to the base of the chamber. The sample is attached to a tripod sample holder that is held by the main manipulator. Under UHV conditions the tripod sample holder can be removed from the main manipulator and placed onto the STM. The VT-STM has the capability of acquiring images between the temperature range of 180--500 K. The performance of the chamber is demonstrated here by producing an ordered array of island vacancy defects on a Pt(111) surface and obtaining STM images of these defects.« less

Surface alloying in Sn/Au(111) at elevated temperature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sadhukhan, Pampa; Singh, Vipin Kumar; Rai, Abhishek; Bhattacharya, Kuntala; Barman, Sudipta Roy

2018-04-01

On the basis of x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, we show that when Sn is deposited on Au(111) single crystal surface at a substrate temperature TS=373 K, surface alloying occurs with the formation of AuSn phase. The evolution of the surface structure and the surface morphology has been studied by low energy electron diffraction and scanning tunneling microscopy, respectively as a function of Sn coverage and substrate temperatures.

Lateral ordering of PTCDA on the clean and the oxygen pre-covered Cu(100) surface investigated by scanning tunneling microscopy and low energy electron diffraction.

PubMed

Gärtner, Stefan; Fiedler, Benjamin; Bauer, Oliver; Marele, Antonela; Sokolowski, Moritz M

2014-01-01

We have investigated the adsorption of perylene-3,4,9,10-tetracarboxylic acid dianhydride (PTCDA) on the clean and on the oxygen pre-covered Cu(100) surface [referred to as (√2 × 2√2)R45° - 2O/Cu(100)] by scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and low energy electron diffraction (LEED). Our results confirm the (4√2 × 5√2)R45° superstructure of PTCDA/Cu(100) reported by A. Schmidt et al. [J. Phys. Chem. 1995, 99,11770-11779]. However, contrary to Schmidt et al., we have no indication for a dissociation of the PTCDA upon adsorption, and we propose a detailed structure model with two intact PTCDA molecules within the unit cell. Domains of high lateral order are obtained, if the deposition is performed at 400 K. For deposition at room temperature, a significant density of nucleation defects is found pointing to a strong interaction of PTCDA with Cu(100). Quite differently, after preadsorption of oxygen and formation of the (√2 × 2√2)R45° - 2O/Cu(100) superstructure on Cu(100), PTCDA forms an incommensurate monolayer with a structure that corresponds well to that of PTCDA bulk lattice planes.

The possibility of using platinum foils with a rippled surface as diffraction gratings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Korsukov, V. E.; Ankudinov, A. V.; Butenko, P. N.; Knyazev, S. A.; Korsukova, M. M.; Obidov, B. A.; Shcherbakov, I. P.

2014-09-01

The atomic structure and surface relief of thin cold-rolled platinum foils upon recrystallization annealing and loading under ultrahigh vacuum conditions have been studied by low energy electron diffraction (LEED), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). The surface of samples upon high-temperature annealing and subsequent uniaxial extension of recrystallized Pt foils represents a fractal structure of unidirectional ripples on various spatial scales. The total fractal dimension of this surface is D GW = 2.3, while the fractal dimensions along and across ripples are D ‖ ≈ 1 and D ⊥ ≈ 1.3, respectively. The optical spectra of a halogen lamp and a PRK-2 mercury lamp were recorded using these rippled Pt foils as reflection diffraction gratings. It is shown that Pt foils with this surface relief can be used as reflection diffraction gratings for electromagnetic radiation in a broad spectral range.

Surface structures of L10-MnGa (001) by scanning tunneling microscopy and first-principles theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Corbett, J. P.; Guerrero-Sanchez, J.; Richard, A. L.; Ingram, D. C.; Takeuchi, N.; Smith, A. R.

2017-11-01

We report on the surface reconstructions of L10-ordered MnGa (001) thin films grown by molecular beam epitaxy on a 50 nm Mn3N2 (001) layer freshly grown on a magnesium oxide (001) substrate. Scanning tunneling microscopy, Auger electron spectroscopy, and reflection high energy electron diffraction are combined with first-principles density functional theory calculations to determine the reconstructions of the L10-ordered MnGa (001) surface. We find two lowest energy reconstructions of the MnGa (001) face: a 1 × 1 Ga-terminated structure and a 1 × 2 structure with a Mn replacing a Ga in the 1 × 1 Ga-terminated surface. The 1 × 2 reconstruction forms a row structure along [100]. The manganese:gallium stoichiometry within the surface based on theoretical modeling is in good agreement with experiment. Magnetic moment calculations for the two lowest energy structures reveal important surface and bulk effects leading to oscillatory total magnetization for ultra-thin MnGa (001) films.

Molecular beam epitaxy of quasi-freestanding transition metal disulphide monolayers on van der Waals substrates: a growth study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hall, Joshua; Pielić, Borna; Murray, Clifford; Jolie, Wouter; Wekking, Tobias; Busse, Carsten; Kralj, Marko; Michely, Thomas

2018-04-01

Based on an ultra-high vacuum compatible two-step molecular beam epitaxy synthesis with elemental sulphur, we grow clean, well-oriented, and almost defect-free monolayer islands and layers of the transition metal disulphides MoS2, TaS2 and WS2. Using scanning tunneling microscopy and low energy electron diffraction we investigate systematically how to optimise the growth process, and provide insight into the growth and annealing mechanisms. A large band gap of 2.55 eV and the ability to move flakes with the scanning tunneling microscope tip both document the weak interaction of MoS2 with its substrate consisting of graphene grown on Ir(1 1 1). As the method works for the synthesis of a variety of transition metal disulphides on different substrates, we speculate that it could be of great use for providing hitherto unattainable high quality monolayers of transition metal disulphides for fundamental spectroscopic investigations.

Diffraction-based analysis of tunnel size for a scaled external occulter testbed

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sirbu, Dan; Kasdin, N. Jeremy; Vanderbei, Robert J.

2016-07-01

For performance verification of an external occulter mask (also called a starshade), scaled testbeds have been developed to measure the suppression of the occulter shadow in the pupil plane and contrast in the image plane. For occulter experiments the scaling is typically performed by maintaining an equivalent Fresnel number. The original Princeton occulter testbed was oversized with respect to both input beam and shadow propagation to limit any diffraction effects due to finite testbed enclosure edges; however, to operate at realistic space-mission equivalent Fresnel numbers an extended testbed is currently under construction. With the longer propagation distances involved, diffraction effects due to the edge of the tunnel must now be considered in the experiment design. Here, we present a diffraction-based model of two separate tunnel effects. First, we consider the effect of tunnel-edge induced diffraction ringing upstream from the occulter mask. Second, we consider the diffraction effect due to clipping of the output shadow by the tunnel downstream from the occulter mask. These calculations are performed for a representative point design relevant to the new Princeton occulter experiment, but we also present an analytical relation that can be used for other propagation distances.

Evidence for graphite-like hexagonal AlN nanosheets epitaxially grown on single crystal Ag(111)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tsipas, P.; Kassavetis, S.; Tsoutsou, D.

Ultrathin (sub-monolayer to 12 monolayers) AlN nanosheets are grown epitaxially by plasma assisted molecular beam epitaxy on Ag(111) single crystals. Electron diffraction and scanning tunneling microscopy provide evidence that AlN on Ag adopts a graphite-like hexagonal structure with a larger lattice constant compared to bulk-like wurtzite AlN. This claim is further supported by ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy indicating a reduced energy bandgap as expected for hexagonal AlN.

Twins and their boundaries during homoepitaxy on Ir(111)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bleikamp, Sebastian; Michely, Thomas; Coraux, Johann

2011-02-01

The growth and annealing behavior of strongly twinned homoepitaxial films on Ir(111) have been investigated by scanning tunneling microscopy, low-energy electron diffraction, and surface x-ray diffraction. In situ surface x-ray diffraction during and after film growth turned out to be an efficient tool for the determination of twin fractions in multilayer films and to unravel the nature of lateral twin crystallite boundaries. The annealing of the twin structures is shown to take place in a two-step process; first, the length of the lateral twin crystallite boundaries is reduced, without affecting the amount of twinned material, and then, at much highermore » temperatures, the twins themselves anneal. Within moderately annealed films lateral twin crystallite boundaries are visible at the film surface as fractional steps from which strain fields extend. The nature of these boundaries is discussed.« less

Complex Stoichiometry reordering of PTCDA on Ag(111) upon K Intercalation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brivio, G. P.; Baby, A.; Zwick, C.; Gruenewald, M.; Forker, R.; Fritz, T.; Fratesi, G.; Hofmann, O. T.; Zojer, E.

Alkali metal atoms are a simple yet efficient n-type dopant of organic semiconductors. However, the molecular crystal structures need be controlled and well understood in order to optimize the electronic properties (charge carrier density and mobility) of the target material. Here, we report that potassium intercalation into PTCDA monolayer domains on a Ag(111) substrate induces distinct stoichiometry-dependent structural reordering processes, resulting in highly ordered and large KxPTCDA domains. The emerging structures are analyzed by low temperature scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), scanning tunneling hydrogen microscopy (STHM), and low-energy electron diffraction (LEED) as a function of the stoichiometry and by density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Large stable monolayer domains are found for x=2,4. The epitaxy types for all intercalated stages are determined as point-on-line. The K atoms adsorb in the vicinity of the oxygen atoms of the PTCDA molecules, and their positions are determined with sub-Angstrom precision. This is a crucial prerequisite for the prospective assessment of the electronic properties of such composite films, as they depend on the mutual alignment between donor atoms and acceptor molecules.

Tip-enhanced near-field Raman spectroscopy with a scanning tunneling microscope and side-illumination optics.

PubMed

Yi, K J; He, X N; Zhou, Y S; Xiong, W; Lu, Y F

2008-07-01

Conventional Raman spectroscopy (RS) suffers from low spatial resolution and low detection sensitivity due to the optical diffraction limit and small interaction cross sections. It has been reported that a highly localized and significantly enhanced electromagnetic field could be generated in the proximity of a metallic tip illuminated by a laser beam. In this study, a tip-enhanced RS system was developed to both improve the resolution and enhance the detection sensitivity using the tip-enhanced near-field effects. This instrument, by combining RS with a scanning tunneling microscope and side-illumination optics, demonstrated significant enhancement on both optical sensitivity and spatial resolution using either silver (Ag)-coated tungsten (W) tips or gold (Au) tips. The sensitivity improvement was verified by observing the enhancement effects on silicon (Si) substrates. Lateral resolution was verified to be below 100 nm by mapping Ag nanostructures. By deploying the depolarization technique, an apparent enhancement of 175% on Si substrates was achieved. Furthermore, the developed instrument features fast and reliable optical alignment, versatile sample adaptability, and effective suppression of far-field signals.

Scanning Tunneling Microscope For Use In Vacuum

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Abel, Phillip B.

1993-01-01

Scanning tunneling microscope with subangstrom resolution developed to study surface structures. Although instrument used in air, designed especially for use in vacuum. Scanning head is assembly of small, mostly rigid components made of low-outgassing materials. Includes coarse-positioning mechanical-translation stage, on which specimen mounted by use of standard mounting stub. Tunneling tip mounted on piezoelectric fine-positioning tube. Application of suitable voltages to electrodes on piezoelectric tube controls scan of tunneling tip across surface of specimen. Electronic subsystem generates scanning voltages and collects data.

Existence of a stable intermixing phase for monolayer Ge on Si(001)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yeom, H. W.; Sasaki, M.; Suzuki, S.; Sato, S.; Hosoi, S.; Iwabuchi, M.; Higashiyama, K.; Fukutani, H.; Nakamura, M.; Abukawa, T.; Kono, S.

1997-06-01

A monolayer adsorption of Ge on a single-domain Si(001)2 × 1 surface has been investigated by X-ray excited Auger electron diffraction (AED) and scanning tunneling microscopy. Contrary to the common belief, a significant intermixing of Ge down to at least the fourth layer is identified. This intermixing is found to progress to a stable interface alloy phase that develops fully for annealing at 500-600°C. A possible reason for the alloy phase is discussed to be an elastic interaction from the Si(001) surface.

Epitaxial graphene-encapsulated surface reconstruction of Ge(110)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Campbell, Gavin P.; Kiraly, Brian; Jacobberger, Robert M.; Mannix, Andrew J.; Arnold, Michael S.; Hersam, Mark C.; Guisinger, Nathan P.; Bedzyk, Michael J.

2018-04-01

Understanding and engineering the properties of crystalline surfaces has been critical in achieving functional electronics at the nanoscale. Employing scanning tunneling microscopy, surface x-ray diffraction, and high-resolution x-ray reflectivity experiments, we present a thorough study of epitaxial graphene (EG)/Ge(110) and report a Ge(110) "6 × 2" reconstruction stabilized by the presence of epitaxial graphene unseen in group-IV semiconductor surfaces. X-ray studies reveal that graphene resides atop the surface reconstruction with a 0.34 nm van der Waals (vdW) gap and provides protection from ambient degradation.

New Growth Mode through Decorated Twin Boundaries

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bleikamp, Sebastian; Thoma, Arne; Polop, Celia

2006-03-24

Scanning tunneling microscopy and low energy electron diffraction were used to investigate the growth of partly twinned Ir thin films on Ir(111). A transition from the expected layer-by-layer to a defect dominated growth mode with a fixed lateral length scale and increasing roughness is observed. During growth, the majority of the film is stably transformed to twinned stacking. This transition is initiated by the energetic avoidance of the formation of intrinsic stacking faults compared to two independent twin faults. The atomistic details of the defect kinetics are outlined.

New growth mode through decorated twin boundaries.

PubMed

Bleikamp, Sebastian; Thoma, Arne; Polop, Celia; Pirug, Gerhard; Linke, Udo; Michely, Thomas

2006-03-24

Scanning tunneling microscopy and low energy electron diffraction were used to investigate the growth of partly twinned Ir thin films on Ir(111). A transition from the expected layer-by-layer to a defect dominated growth mode with a fixed lateral length scale and increasing roughness is observed. During growth, the majority of the film is stably transformed to twinned stacking. This transition is initiated by the energetic avoidance of the formation of intrinsic stacking faults compared to two independent twin faults. The atomistic details of the defect kinetics are outlined.

Facility for low-temperature spin-polarized-scanning tunneling microscopy studies of magnetic/spintronic materials prepared in situ by nitride molecular beam epitaxy.

PubMed

Lin, Wenzhi; Foley, Andrew; Alam, Khan; Wang, Kangkang; Liu, Yinghao; Chen, Tianjiao; Pak, Jeongihm; Smith, Arthur R

2014-04-01

Based on the interest in, as well as exciting outlook for, nitride semiconductor based structures with regard to electronic, optoelectronic, and spintronic applications, it is compelling to investigate these systems using the powerful technique of spin-polarized scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), a technique capable of achieving magnetic resolution down to the atomic scale. However, the delicate surfaces of these materials are easily corrupted by in-air transfers, making it unfeasible to study them in stand-alone ultra-high vacuum STM facilities. Therefore, we have carried out the development of a hybrid system including a nitrogen plasma assisted molecular beam epitaxy/pulsed laser epitaxy facility for sample growth combined with a low-temperature, spin-polarized scanning tunneling microscope system. The custom-designed molecular beam epitaxy growth system supports up to eight sources, including up to seven effusion cells plus a radio frequency nitrogen plasma source, for epitaxially growing a variety of materials, such as nitride semiconductors, magnetic materials, and their hetero-structures, and also incorporating in situ reflection high energy electron diffraction. The growth system also enables integration of pulsed laser epitaxy. The STM unit has a modular design, consisting of an upper body and a lower body. The upper body contains the coarse approach mechanism and the scanner unit, while the lower body accepts molecular beam epitaxy grown samples using compression springs and sample skis. The design of the system employs two stages of vibration isolation as well as a layer of acoustic noise isolation in order to reduce noise during STM measurements. This isolation allows the system to effectively acquire STM data in a typical lab space, which during its construction had no special and highly costly elements included, (such as isolated slabs) which would lower the environmental noise. The design further enables tip exchange and tip coating without breaking vacuum, and convenient visual access to the sample and tip inside a superconducting magnet cryostat. A sample/tip handling system is optimized for both the molecular beam epitaxy growth system and the scanning tunneling microscope system. The sample/tip handing system enables in situ STM studies on epitaxially grown samples, and tip exchange in the superconducting magnet cryostat. The hybrid molecular beam epitaxy and low temperature scanning tunneling microscopy system is capable of growing semiconductor-based hetero-structures with controlled accuracy down to a single atomic-layer and imaging them down to atomic resolution.

Temperature and composition dependent density of states extracted using overlapping large polaron tunnelling model in MnxCo1-xFe2O4 (x=0.25, 0.5, 0.75) nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jamil, Arifa; Afsar, M. F.; Sher, F.; Rafiq, M. A.

2017-03-01

We report detailed ac electrical and structural characterization of manganese cobalt ferrite nanoparticles, prepared by coprecipitation technique. X-ray diffraction (XRD) confirmed single-phase cubic spinel structure of the nanoparticles. Tetrahedral (A) and octahedral (B) group complexes were present in the spinel lattice as determined by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) images revealed presence of spherical shape nanoparticles having an average diameter 50-80 nm. Composition, temperature and frequency dependent ac electrical study of prepared nanoparticles interpreted the role of cationic distribution between A and B sites. Overlapping large polaron tunnelling (OLPT) conduction mechanism was observed from 290 to 200 K. Frequency exponent s was fitted theoretically using OLPT model. High values of Density of States (DOS) of the order of 1022-1024 eV-1 cm-3 were extracted from ac conductivity for different compositions. We found that DOS was dependent on distribution of cations in the tunnel-type cavities along the a and b axis.

Growth Mode Transition in Complex Oxide Heteroepitaxy: Atomically Resolved Studies

DOE PAGES

Tselev, Alexander; Vasudevan, Rama K.; Gianfrancesco, Anthony G.; ...

2016-04-04

Here we performed investigations of the atomic-scale surface structure of epitaxial La 5/8Ca 3/8MnO 3 thin films as a model system dependent on growth conditions in pulsed laser deposition with emphasis on film growth kinetics. Postdeposition in situ scanning tunneling microscopy was combined with in operando reflective high-energy electron diffraction to monitor the film growth and ex situ X-ray diffraction for structural analysis. We find a correlation between the out-of-plane lattice parameter and both adspecies mobility and height of the Ehrlich–Schwoebel barrier, with mobility of adatoms greater over the cationically stoichiometric terminations. We find that the data suggest that themore » out-of-plane lattice parameter is dependent on the mechanism of epitaxial strain relaxation, which is controlled by the oxidative power of the deposition environment.« less

Structure and magnetic properties of mono- and bi-layer graphene films on ultraprecision figured 4H-SiC(0001) surfaces.

PubMed

Hattori, Azusa N; Okamoto, Takeshi; Sadakuni, Shun; Murata, Junji; Oi, Hideo; Arima, Kenta; Sano, Yasuhisa; Hattori, Ken; Daimon, Hiroshi; Endo, Katsuyoshi; Yamauchi, Kazuto

2011-04-01

Monolayer and bilayer graphene films with a few hundred nm domain size were grown on ultraprecision figured 4H-SiC(0001) on-axis and 8 degrees -off surfaces by annealing in ultra-high vacuum. Using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), atomic force microscopy, reflection high-energy electron diffraction, low-energy electron diffraction (LEED), Raman spectroscopy, and scanning tunneling microscopy, we investigated the structure, number of graphene layers, and chemical bonding of the graphene surfaces. Moreover, the magnetic property of the monolayer graphene was studied using in-situ surface magneto-optic Kerr effect at 40 K. LEED spots intensity distribution and XPS spectra for monolayer and bilayer graphene films could become an obvious and accurate fingerprint for the determination of graphene film thickness on SiC surface.

Structure of the SnO2(110 ) -(4 ×1 ) Surface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Merte, Lindsay R.; Jørgensen, Mathias S.; Pussi, Katariina; Gustafson, Johan; Shipilin, Mikhail; Schaefer, Andreas; Zhang, Chu; Rawle, Jonathan; Nicklin, Chris; Thornton, Geoff; Lindsay, Robert; Hammer, Bjørk; Lundgren, Edvin

2017-09-01

Using surface x-ray diffraction (SXRD), quantitative low-energy electron diffraction (LEED), and density-functional theory (DFT) calculations, we have determined the structure of the (4 ×1 ) reconstruction formed by sputtering and annealing of the SnO2(110 ) surface. We find that the reconstruction consists of an ordered arrangement of Sn3O3 clusters bound atop the bulk-terminated SnO2(110 ) surface. The model was found by application of a DFT-based evolutionary algorithm with surface compositions based on SXRD, and shows excellent agreement with LEED and with previously published scanning tunneling microscopy measurements. The model proposed previously consisting of in-plane oxygen vacancies is thus shown to be incorrect, and our result suggests instead that Sn(II) species in interstitial positions are the more relevant features of reduced SnO2(110 ) surfaces.

Tunneling rates in electron transport through double-barrier molecular junctions in a scanning tunneling microscope

PubMed Central

Nazin, G. V.; Wu, S. W.; Ho, W.

2005-01-01

The scanning tunneling microscope enables atomic-scale measurements of electron transport through individual molecules. Copper phthalocyanine and magnesium porphine molecules adsorbed on a thin oxide film grown on the NiAl(110) surface were probed. The single-molecule junctions contained two tunneling barriers, vacuum gap, and oxide film. Differential conductance spectroscopy shows that electron transport occurs via vibronic states of the molecules. The intensity of spectral peaks corresponding to the individual vibronic states depends on the relative electron tunneling rates through the two barriers of the junction, as found by varying the vacuum gap tunneling rate by changing the height of the scanning tunneling microscope tip above the molecule. A simple, sequential tunneling model explains the observed trends. PMID:15956189

Tunneling rates in electron transport through double-barrier molecular junctions in a scanning tunneling microscope.

PubMed

Nazin, G V; Wu, S W; Ho, W

2005-06-21

The scanning tunneling microscope enables atomic-scale measurements of electron transport through individual molecules. Copper phthalocyanine and magnesium porphine molecules adsorbed on a thin oxide film grown on the NiAl(110) surface were probed. The single-molecule junctions contained two tunneling barriers, vacuum gap, and oxide film. Differential conductance spectroscopy shows that electron transport occurs via vibronic states of the molecules. The intensity of spectral peaks corresponding to the individual vibronic states depends on the relative electron tunneling rates through the two barriers of the junction, as found by varying the vacuum gap tunneling rate by changing the height of the scanning tunneling microscope tip above the molecule. A simple, sequential tunneling model explains the observed trends.

Atomic-scale structure and electronic properties of GaN/GaAs superlattices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goldman, R. S.; Feenstra, R. M.; Briner, B. G.; O'Steen, M. L.; Hauenstein, R. J.

1996-12-01

We have investigated the atomic-scale structure and electronic properties of GaN/GaAs superlattices produced by nitridation of a molecular beam epitaxially grown GaAs surface. Using cross-sectional scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and spectroscopy, we show that the nitrided layers are laterally inhomogeneous, consisting of groups of atomic-scale defects and larger clusters. Analysis of x-ray diffraction data in terms of fractional area of clusters (determined by STM), reveals a cluster lattice constant similar to bulk GaN. In addition, tunneling spectroscopy on the defects indicates a conduction band state associated with an acceptor level of NAs in GaAs. Therefore, we identify the clusters and defects as nearly pure GaN and NAs, respectively. Together, the results reveal phase segregation in these arsenide/nitride structures, in agreement with the large miscibility gap predicted for GaAsN.

Morphology and defect structure of the CeO 2(1 1 1) films grown on Ru(0 0 0 1) as studied by scanning tunneling microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lu, J.-L.; Gao, H.-J.; Shaikhutdinov, S.; Freund, H.-J.

2006-11-01

The morphology of ceria films grown on a Ru(0 0 0 1) substrate was studied by scanning tunneling microscopy in combination with low-energy electron diffraction and Auger electron spectroscopy. The preparation conditions were determined for the growth of nm-thick, well-ordered CeO 2(1 1 1) films covering the entire surface. The recipe has been adopted from the one suggested by Mullins et al. [D.R. Mullins, P.V. Radulovic, S.H. Overbury, Surf. Sci. 429 (1999) 186] and modified in that significantly higher oxidation temperatures are required to form atomically flat terraces, up to 500 Å in width, with a low density of the point defects assigned to oxygen vacancies. The terraces often consist of several rotational domains. A circular shape of terraces suggest a large variety of undercoordinated sites at the step edges which preferentially nucleate gold particles deposited onto these films. The results show that reactivity studies over ceria and metal/ceria surfaces should be complemented with STM studies, which provide direct information on the film morphology and surface defects, which are usually considered as active sites for catalysis over ceria.

Visualizing period fluctuations in strained-layer superlattices with scanning tunneling microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kanedy, K.; Lopez, F.; Wood, M. R.; Gmachl, C. F.; Weimer, M.; Klem, J. F.; Hawkins, S. D.; Shaner, E. A.; Kim, J. K.

2018-01-01

We show how cross-sectional scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) may be used to accurately map the period fluctuations throughout epitaxial, strained-layer superlattices based on the InAs/InAsSb and InGaAs/InAlAs material systems. The concept, analogous to Bragg's law in high-resolution x-ray diffraction, relies on an analysis of the [001]-convolved reciprocal-space satellite peaks obtained from discrete Fourier transforms of individual STM images. Properly implemented, the technique enables local period measurements that reliably discriminate vertical fluctuations localized to within ˜5 superlattice repeats along the [001] growth direction and orthogonal, lateral fluctuations localized to within ˜40 nm along <110> directions in the growth plane. While not as accurate as x-ray, the inherent, single-image measurement error associated with the method may be made as small as 0.1%, allowing the vertical or lateral period fluctuations contributing to inhomogeneous energy broadening and carrier localization in these structures to be pinpointed and quantified. The direct visualization of unexpectedly large, lateral period fluctuations on nanometer length scales in both strain-balanced systems supports a common understanding in terms of correlated interface roughness.

Scanning Tunneling Microscopy Study of Carbon Tetrachloride Adsorption and Degradation on a Natural a-Fe2O3(0001) Surface in Ultrahigh Vacuum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taeg Rim, Kwang; Fitts, Jeffrey; Adib, Kaveh; Camillone, Nicholas, III; Schlosser, Peter; Osgood, Richard, Jr.; Flynn, George; Joyce, Stephen

2001-03-01

Scanning tunneling microscopy and low energy electron diffraction have been used to study a natural a-Fe2O3(0001) surface and the adsorption and degradation of carbon tetrachloride on the reduced Fe3O4(111) terminated surface. A natural a-Fe2O3 (0001) surface was prepared by repeated cycles of Ar+ ion sputtering and annealing in vacuum or in O2 at 850 K. STM images and a LEED pattern indicate that an Fe3O4(111) terminated surface and a bi-phase can be formed depending on annealing conditions. The Fe3O4(111) terminated surface was dosed with CCl4 at room temperature, and flashed up to 590 K and 850 K. STM images show adsorbates on the surface at room temperature and the degradation products of CCl4 are isolated on the surface as the flashing temperature increases up to 850 K. Results from a companion temperature programmed desorption investigation are used in conjunction with the STM images to propose site specific reactions of CCl4 on the Fe3O4(111) terminated surface.

Tunneling effects in electromagnetic wave scattering by nonspherical particles: A comparison of the Debye series and physical-geometric optics approximations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bi, Lei; Yang, Ping

2016-07-01

The accuracy of the physical-geometric optics (PG-O) approximation is examined for the simulation of electromagnetic scattering by nonspherical dielectric particles. This study seeks a better understanding of the tunneling effect on the phase matrix by employing the invariant imbedding method to rigorously compute the zeroth-order Debye series, from which the tunneling efficiency and the phase matrix corresponding to the diffraction and external reflection are obtained. The tunneling efficiency is shown to be a factor quantifying the relative importance of the tunneling effect over the Fraunhofer diffraction near the forward scattering direction. Due to the tunneling effect, different geometries with the same projected cross section might have different diffraction patterns, which are traditionally assumed to be identical according to the Babinet principle. For particles with a fixed orientation, the PG-O approximation yields the external reflection pattern with reasonable accuracy, but ordinarily fails to predict the locations of peaks and minima in the diffraction pattern. The larger the tunneling efficiency, the worse the PG-O accuracy is at scattering angles less than 90°. If the particles are assumed to be randomly oriented, the PG-O approximation yields the phase matrix close to the rigorous counterpart, primarily due to error cancellations in the orientation-average process. Furthermore, the PG-O approximation based on an electric field volume-integral equation is shown to usually be much more accurate than the Kirchhoff surface integral equation at side-scattering angles, particularly when the modulus of the complex refractive index is close to unity. Finally, tunneling efficiencies are tabulated for representative faceted particles.

Design and performance of a beetle-type double-tip scanning tunneling microscope

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jaschinsky, Philipp; Coenen, Peter; Pirug, Gerhard

2006-09-15

A combination of a double-tip scanning tunneling microscope with a scanning electron microscope in ultrahigh vacuum environment is presented. The compact beetle-type design made it possible to integrate two independently driven scanning tunneling microscopes in a small space. Moreover, an additional level for coarse movement allows the decoupling of the translation and approach of the tunneling tip. The position of the two tips can be controlled from the millimeter scale down to 50 nm with the help of an add-on electron microscope. The instrument is capable of atomic resolution imaging with each tip.

Atomic resolution ultrafast scanning tunneling microscope with scan rate breaking the resonant frequency of a quartz tuning fork resonator.

PubMed

Li, Quanfeng; Lu, Qingyou

2011-05-01

We present an ultra-fast scanning tunneling microscope with atomic resolution at 26 kHz scan rate which surpasses the resonant frequency of the quartz tuning fork resonator used as the fast scan actuator. The main improvements employed in achieving this new record are (1) fully low voltage design (2) independent scan control and data acquisition, where the tuning fork (carrying a tip) is blindly driven to scan by a function generator with the scan voltage and tunneling current (I(T)) being measured as image data (this is unlike the traditional point-by-point move and measure method where data acquisition and scan control are switched many times).

Regular scanning tunneling microscope tips can be intrinsically chiral.

PubMed

Tierney, Heather L; Murphy, Colin J; Sykes, E Charles H

2011-01-07

We report our discovery that regular scanning tunneling microscope tips can themselves be chiral. This chirality leads to differences in electron tunneling efficiencies through left- and right-handed molecules, and, when using the tip to electrically excite molecular rotation, large differences in rotation rate were observed which correlated with molecular chirality. As scanning tunneling microscopy is a widely used technique, this result may have unforeseen consequences for the measurement of asymmetric surface phenomena in a variety of important fields.

Regular Scanning Tunneling Microscope Tips can be Intrinsically Chiral

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tierney, Heather L.; Murphy, Colin J.; Sykes, E. Charles H.

2011-01-01

We report our discovery that regular scanning tunneling microscope tips can themselves be chiral. This chirality leads to differences in electron tunneling efficiencies through left- and right-handed molecules, and, when using the tip to electrically excite molecular rotation, large differences in rotation rate were observed which correlated with molecular chirality. As scanning tunneling microscopy is a widely used technique, this result may have unforeseen consequences for the measurement of asymmetric surface phenomena in a variety of important fields.

Soliton tunneling in the nonlinear Schrödinger equation with variable coefficients and an external harmonic potential.

PubMed

Zhong, Wei-Ping; Belić, Milivoj R

2010-05-01

We report on the nonlinear tunneling effects of spatial solitons of the generalized nonlinear Schrödinger equation with distributed coefficients in an external harmonic potential. By using the homogeneous balance principle and the F-expansion technique we find the spatial bright and dark soliton solutions. We then display tunneling effects of such solutions occurring under special conditions; specifically when the spatial solitons pass unchanged through the potential barriers and wells affected by special choices of the diffraction and/or the nonlinearity coefficients. Our results show that the solitons display tunneling effects not only when passing through the nonlinear potential barriers or wells but also when passing through the diffractive barriers or wells. During tunneling the solitons may also undergo a controllable compression.

"We Actually Saw Atoms with Our Own Eyes": Conceptions and Convictions in Using the Scanning Tunneling Microscope in Junior High School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Margel, Hannah; Eylon, Bat-Sheva; Scherz, Zahava

2004-01-01

The feasibility and the potential contribution of the scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) in junior high school (JHS) as an instructional tool for learning the particulate nature of matter is described. The use and power of new technologies can probably be demonstrated by the scanning tunneling microscopy (STM).

Direct control and characterization of a Schottky barrier by scanning tunneling microscopy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bell, L. D.; Kaiser, W. J.; Hecht, M. H.; Grunthaner, F. J.

1988-01-01

Scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) methods are used to directly control the barrier height of a metal tunnel tip-semiconductor tunnel junction. Barrier behavior is measured by tunnel current-voltage spectroscopy and compared to theory. A unique surface preparation method is used to prepare a low surface state density Si surface. Control of band bending with this method enables STM investigation of semiconductor subsurface properties.

Scanning tunneling microscope nanoetching method

DOEpatents

Li, Yun-Zhong; Reifenberger, Ronald G.; Andres, Ronald P.

1990-01-01

A method is described for forming uniform nanometer sized depressions on the surface of a conducting substrate. A tunneling tip is used to apply tunneling current density sufficient to vaporize a localized area of the substrate surface. The resulting depressions or craters in the substrate surface can be formed in information encoding patterns readable with a scanning tunneling microscope.

Infrared spectroscopy of molecular submonolayers on surfaces by infrared scanning tunneling microscopy: tetramantane on Au111.

PubMed

Pechenezhskiy, Ivan V; Hong, Xiaoping; Nguyen, Giang D; Dahl, Jeremy E P; Carlson, Robert M K; Wang, Feng; Crommie, Michael F

2013-09-20

We have developed a new scanning-tunneling-microscopy-based spectroscopy technique to characterize infrared (IR) absorption of submonolayers of molecules on conducting crystals. The technique employs a scanning tunneling microscope as a precise detector to measure the expansion of a molecule-decorated crystal that is irradiated by IR light from a tunable laser source. Using this technique, we obtain the IR absorption spectra of [121]tetramantane and [123]tetramantane on Au(111). Significant differences between the IR spectra for these two isomers show the power of this new technique to differentiate chemical structures even when single-molecule-resolved scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) images look quite similar. Furthermore, the new technique was found to yield significantly better spectral resolution than STM-based inelastic electron tunneling spectroscopy, and to allow determination of optical absorption cross sections. Compared to IR spectroscopy of bulk tetramantane powders, infrared scanning tunneling microscopy (IRSTM) spectra reveal narrower and blueshifted vibrational peaks for an ordered tetramantane adlayer. Differences between bulk and surface tetramantane vibrational spectra are explained via molecule-molecule interactions.

Growth of Bi2Se3 topological insulator thin film on Ge(1 1 1) substrate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Seungyeon; Lee, Sangsoo; Woo, Jeongseok; Lee, Geunseop

2018-02-01

Atomically smooth, single crystalline Bi2Se3 thin films were grown on a Ge(1 1 1) substrate using molecular beam epitaxy. Crystallinities of both the surface and the bulk as well as the stoichiometry of the grown film were characterized by using low-energy electron diffraction, scanning tunneling microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and photoelectron spectroscopies. Hexagonal atomic structures, quintuple layer steps observed in STM images confirmed that the Bi2Se3 film with a (0 0 0 1) surface was grown. Diffraction peak positions as well as the chemical composition determined from the core-level photoelectron spectra coincide well with those expected for the Bi2Se3 crystal. The surface state with a Dirac cone was observed in the valence photoelectron spectra, which also support that a high-quality Bi2Se3 film was grown on the Ge(1 1 1) substrate. The interface between Ge(1 1 1) and Bi2Se3(0 0 0 1) is expected to be abrupt due to the small lattice between them.

Scanning tunneling microscopy measurements of the spin Hall effect in tungsten films by using iron-coated tungsten tips

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xie, Ting; Dreyer, Michael; Bowen, David; Hinkel, Dan; Butera, R. E.; Krafft, Charles; Mayergoyz, Isaak

2018-05-01

Scanning tunneling microscopy experiments using iron-coated tungsten tips and current-carrying tungsten films have been conducted. An asymmetry of the tunneling current with respect to the change of the direction of the bias current through a tungsten film has been observed. It is argued that this asymmetry is a manifestation of the spin Hall effect in the current-carrying tungsten film. Nanoscale variations of this asymmetry across the tungsten film have been studied by using the scanning tunneling microscopy technique.

Us army corps of engineers - Engineering research and development center - Petrographic analysis of section 3 personnel tunnel concrete

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Carter, J. M.

The Concrete and Materials Branch (CMB) of the Geotechnical and Structures Laboratory was requested to perform an analysis on concrete cores collected from the north and south walls of the H-Canyon Section 3 Personnel Tunel, Savannah River Site, Aiken, South Carolina to determine the cause of the lower than expected compressive strength. This study examined five cores provided to the ERDC by the Department of Energy. The cores were logged in as CMB No. 170051-1 to 170051-5 and subjected to petrographic examination, air void analysis, chemical sprays, scanning electron microscopy, and x-ray diffraction.

Polymethacrylic acid as a new precursor of CuO nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hosny, Nasser Mohammed; Zoromba, Mohamed Shafick

2012-11-01

Polymethacrylic acid and its copper complexes have been synthesized and characterized. These complexes have been used as precursors to produce CuO nanoparticles by thermal decomposition in air. The stages of decompositions and the calcination temperature of the precursors have been determined from thermal analyses (TGA). The obtained CuO nanoparticles have been characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). XRD showed a monoclinic structure with particle size 8-20 nm for the synthesized copper oxide nanoparticles. These nanoparticles are catalytically active in decomposing hydrogen peroxide and a mechanism of decomposition has been suggested.

Copper intercalation at the interface of graphene and Ir(111) studied by scanning tunneling microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sicot, M.; Fagot-Revurat, Y.; Kierren, B.; Vasseur, G.; Malterre, D.

2014-11-01

We report on the intercalation of a submonolayer of copper at 775 K underneath graphene epitaxially grown on Ir(111) studied by means of low energy electron diffraction (LEED) and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) at 77 K. Nucleation and growth dynamics of Cu below graphene have been investigated, and, most importantly, the intercalation mechanism has been identified. First, LEED patterns reveal the pseudomorphic growth of Cu on Ir under the topmost graphene layer resulting in a large Cu in-plane lattice parameter expansion of about 6% compared to Cu(111). Second, large-scale STM topographs as a function of Cu coverage show that Cu diffusion on Ir below graphene exhibits a low energy barrier resulting in Cu accumulation at Ir step edges. As a result, the graphene sheet undergoes a strong edges reshaping. Finally, atomically-resolved STM images reveal a damaged graphene sheet at the atomic scale after metal intercalation. Point defects in graphene were shown to be carbon vacancies. According to these results, a Cu penetration path beneath graphene is proposed to occur via metal aided defect formation with no or poor self healing of the graphene sheet. This work illustrates the fact that Cu intercalation is harmful for graphene grown on Ir(111) at the atomic scale.

A scanning tunnelling microscopy study of C and N adsorption phases on the vicinal Ni(100) surfaces Ni(810) and Ni(911)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Driver, S. M.; Toomes, R. L.; Woodruff, D. P.

2016-04-01

The influence of N and C chemisorption on the morphology and local structure of nominal Ni(810) and Ni(911) surfaces, both vicinal to (100) but with [001] and [ 01 1 bar ] step directions, respectively, has been investigated using scanning tunnelling microscopy (STM) and low energy electron diffraction. Ni(911) undergoes substantial step bunching in the presence of both adsorbates, with the (911)/N surface showing (411) facets, whereas for Ni(810), multiple steps 2-4 layers high are more typical. STM atomic-scale images show the (2 × 2)pg 'clock' reconstruction on the (100) terraces of the (810) surfaces with both C and N, although a second c(2 × 2) structure, most readily reconciled with a 'rumpling' reconstruction, is also seen on Ni(810)/N. On Ni(911), the clock reconstruction is not seen on the (100) terraces with either adsorbate, and these images are typified by protrusions on a (1 × 1) mesh. This absence of clock reconstruction is attributed to the different constraints imposed on the lateral movements of the surface Ni atoms adjacent to the up-step edge of the terraces with a [ 01 1 bar ] step direction.

Spectral focusing of broadband silver electroluminescence in nanoscopic FRET-LEDs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Puchert, Robin P.; Steiner, Florian; Plechinger, Gerd; Hofmann, Felix J.; Caspers, Ines; Kirschner, Johanna; Nagler, Philipp; Chernikov, Alexey; Schüller, Christian; Korn, Tobias; Vogelsang, Jan; Bange, Sebastian; Lupton, John M.

2017-07-01

Few inventions have shaped the world like the incandescent bulb. Edison used thermal radiation from ohmically heated conductors, but some noble metals also exhibit 'cold' electroluminescence in percolation films, tunnel diodes, electromigrated nanoparticle aggregates, optical antennas or scanning tunnelling microscopy. The origin of this radiation, which is spectrally broad and depends on applied bias, is controversial given the low radiative yields of electronic transitions. Nanoparticle electroluminescence is particularly intriguing because it involves localized surface-plasmon resonances with large dipole moments. Such plasmons enable very efficient non-radiative fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) coupling to proximal resonant dipole transitions. Here, we demonstrate nanoscopic FRET-light-emitting diodes which exploit the opposite process, energy transfer from silver nanoparticles to exfoliated monolayers of transition-metal dichalcogenides. In diffraction-limited hotspots showing pronounced photon bunching, broadband silver electroluminescence is focused into the narrow excitonic resonance of the atomically thin overlayer. Such devices may offer alternatives to conventional nano-light-emitting diodes in on-chip optical interconnects.

Spectral focusing of broadband silver electroluminescence in nanoscopic FRET-LEDs.

PubMed

Puchert, Robin P; Steiner, Florian; Plechinger, Gerd; Hofmann, Felix J; Caspers, Ines; Kirschner, Johanna; Nagler, Philipp; Chernikov, Alexey; Schüller, Christian; Korn, Tobias; Vogelsang, Jan; Bange, Sebastian; Lupton, John M

2017-07-01

Few inventions have shaped the world like the incandescent bulb. Edison used thermal radiation from ohmically heated conductors, but some noble metals also exhibit 'cold' electroluminescence in percolation films, tunnel diodes, electromigrated nanoparticle aggregates, optical antennas or scanning tunnelling microscopy. The origin of this radiation, which is spectrally broad and depends on applied bias, is controversial given the low radiative yields of electronic transitions. Nanoparticle electroluminescence is particularly intriguing because it involves localized surface-plasmon resonances with large dipole moments. Such plasmons enable very efficient non-radiative fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) coupling to proximal resonant dipole transitions. Here, we demonstrate nanoscopic FRET-light-emitting diodes which exploit the opposite process, energy transfer from silver nanoparticles to exfoliated monolayers of transition-metal dichalcogenides. In diffraction-limited hotspots showing pronounced photon bunching, broadband silver electroluminescence is focused into the narrow excitonic resonance of the atomically thin overlayer. Such devices may offer alternatives to conventional nano-light-emitting diodes in on-chip optical interconnects.

Note: long-range scanning tunneling microscope for the study of nanostructures on insulating substrates.

PubMed

Molina-Mendoza, Aday J; Rodrigo, José G; Island, Joshua; Burzuri, Enrique; Rubio-Bollinger, Gabino; van der Zant, Herre S J; Agraït, Nicolás

2014-02-01

The scanning tunneling microscope (STM) is a powerful tool for studying the electronic properties at the atomic level, however, it is of relatively small scanning range and the fact that it can only operate on conducting samples prevents its application to study heterogeneous samples consisting of conducting and insulating regions. Here we present a long-range scanning tunneling microscope capable of detecting conducting micro and nanostructures on insulating substrates using a technique based on the capacitance between the tip and the sample and performing STM studies.

Making Mn substitutional impurities in InAs using a scanning tunneling microscope.

PubMed

Song, Young Jae; Erwin, Steven C; Rutter, Gregory M; First, Phillip N; Zhitenev, Nikolai B; Stroscio, Joseph A

2009-12-01

We describe in detail an atom-by-atom exchange manipulation technique using a scanning tunneling microscope probe. As-deposited Mn adatoms (Mn(ad)) are exchanged one-by-one with surface In atoms (In(su)) to create a Mn surface-substitutional (Mn(In)) and an exchanged In adatom (In(ad)) by an electron tunneling induced reaction Mn(ad) + In(su) --> Mn(In) + In(ad) on the InAs(110) surface. In combination with density-functional theory and high resolution scanning tunneling microscopy imaging, we have identified the reaction pathway for the Mn and In atom exchange.

Note: Development of a wideband amplifier for cryogenic scanning tunneling microscopy.

PubMed

Zhang, Chao; Jeon, Hoyeon; Oh, Myungchul; Lee, Minjun; Kim, Sungmin; Yi, Sunwouk; Lee, Hanho; Zoh, Inhae; Yoo, Yongchan; Kuk, Young

2017-06-01

A wideband cryogenic amplifier has been developed for low temperature scanning tunneling microscopy. The amplifier consisting of a wideband complementary metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistors operational amplifier together with a feedback resistor of 100 kΩ and a capacitor is mounted within a 4 K Dewar. This amplifier has a wide bandwidth and is successfully applied to scanning tunneling microscopy applications at low temperatures down to ∼7 K. The quality of the designed amplifier is validated by high resolution imaging. More importantly, the amplifier has also proved to be capable of performing scanning tunneling spectroscopy measurements, showing the detection of the Shockley surface state of the Au(111) surface and the superconducting gap of Nb(110).

Note: Development of a wideband amplifier for cryogenic scanning tunneling microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Chao; Jeon, Hoyeon; Oh, Myungchul; Lee, Minjun; Kim, Sungmin; Yi, Sunwouk; Lee, Hanho; Zoh, Inhae; Yoo, Yongchan; Kuk, Young

2017-06-01

A wideband cryogenic amplifier has been developed for low temperature scanning tunneling microscopy. The amplifier consisting of a wideband complementary metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistors operational amplifier together with a feedback resistor of 100 kΩ and a capacitor is mounted within a 4 K Dewar. This amplifier has a wide bandwidth and is successfully applied to scanning tunneling microscopy applications at low temperatures down to ˜7 K. The quality of the designed amplifier is validated by high resolution imaging. More importantly, the amplifier has also proved to be capable of performing scanning tunneling spectroscopy measurements, showing the detection of the Shockley surface state of the Au(111) surface and the superconducting gap of Nb(110).

PREFACE: Time-resolved scanning tunnelling microscopy Time-resolved scanning tunnelling microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zandvliet, Harold J. W.; Lin, Nian

2010-07-01

Scanning tunnelling microscopy has revolutionized our ability to image, manipulate, and investigate solid surfaces on the length scale of individual atoms and molecules. The strength of this technique lies in its imaging capabilities, since for many scientists 'seeing is believing'. However, scanning tunnelling microscopy also suffers from a severe limitation, namely its poor time resolution. Recording a scanning tunnelling microscopy image typically requires a few tens of seconds for a conventional scanning tunnelling microscope to a fraction of a second for a specially designed fast scanning tunnelling microscope. Designing and building such a fast scanning tunnelling microscope is a formidable task in itself and therefore, only a limited number of these microscopes have been built [1]. There is, however, another alternative route to significantly enhance the time resolution of a scanning tunnelling microscope. In this alternative method, the tunnelling current is measured as a function of time with the feedback loop switched off. The time resolution is determined by the bandwidth of the IV converter rather than the cut-off frequency of the feedback electronics. Such an approach requires a stable microscope and goes, of course, at the expense of spatial information. In this issue, we have collected a set of papers that gives an impression of the current status of this rapidly emerging field [2]. One of the very first attempts to extract information from tunnel current fluctuations was reported by Tringides' group in the mid-1990s [3]. They showed that the collective diffusion coefficient can be extracted from the autocorrelation of the time-dependent tunnelling current fluctuations produced by atom motion in and out of the tunnelling junction. In general, current-time traces provide direct information on switching/conformation rates and distributions of residence times. In the case where these processes are thermally induced it is rather straightforward to map out the potential landscape of the system (often a molecule or an atom) under study [4, 5]. However, the dynamical processes might also be induced by the tunnelling process itself [6, 7]. In the field of molecular science, excited single molecule experiments have been especially performed [8]. As a nice example, we refer to the work of Sykes' group [9] on thioether molecular rotors. In addition, several groups explore the possibility of combining time-resolved scanning tunnelling microscopy with optical techniques [10, 11]. Although the majority of studies that have been performed so far focus on rather simple systems under nearly ideal and well-defined conditions, we anticipate that time-resolved scanning tunnelling microscopy can also be applied in other research areas, such as biology and soft condensed matter, where the experimental conditions are often less ideal. We hope that readers will enjoy this collection of papers and that it will trigger them to further explore the possibilities of this simple, but powerful technique. References [1] Besenbacher F, Laegsgaard E and Stengaard I 2005 Mater. Today 8 26 [2] van Houselt A and Zandvliet H J W 2010 Rev. Mod. Phys. 82 1593 [3] Tringides M C and Hupalo M 2010 J. Phys.: Condens. Matter 22 264002 [4] Ronci F, Colonna S, Cricenti A and Le Lay G 2010 J. Phys.: Condens. Matter 22 264003 [5] van Houselt A, Poelsema B and Zandvliet H J W 2010 J. Phys.: Condens. Matter 22 264004 [6] Sprodowski C, Mehlhorn M and Morgenstern K 2010 J. Phys.: Condens. Matter 22 264005 [7] Saedi A, Poelsema B and Zandvliet H J W 2010 J. Phys.: Condens. Matter 22 264007 [8] Sloan P A 2010 J. Phys.: Condens. Matter 22 264001 [9] Jewell A D, Tierney H L, Baber A E, Iski E V, Laha M M and Sykes E C H 2010 J. Phys.: Condens. Matter 22 264006 [10] Riedel D 2010 J. Phys.: Condens. Matter 22 264009 [11] Terada Y, Yoshida S, Takeuchi O and Shigekawa H 2010 J. Phys.: Condens. Matter 22 264008

Visualization of postoperative anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction bone tunnels

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background and purpose Non-anatomic bone tunnel placement is the most common cause of a failed ACL reconstruction. Accurate and reproducible methods to visualize and document bone tunnel placement are therefore important. We evaluated the reliability of standard radiographs, CT scans, and a 3-dimensional (3D) virtual reality (VR) approach in visualizing and measuring ACL reconstruction bone tunnel placement. Methods 50 consecutive patients who underwent single-bundle ACL reconstructions were evaluated postoperatively by standard radiographs, CT scans, and 3D VR images. Tibial and femoral tunnel positions were measured by 2 observers using the traditional methods of Amis, Aglietti, Hoser, Stäubli, and the method of Benereau for the VR approach. Results The tunnel was visualized in 50–82% of the standard radiographs and in 100% of the CT scans and 3D VR images. Using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), the inter- and intraobserver agreement was between 0.39 and 0.83 for the standard femoral and tibial radiographs. CT scans showed an ICC range of 0.49–0.76 for the inter- and intraobserver agreement. The agreement in 3D VR was almost perfect, with an ICC of 0.83 for the femur and 0.95 for the tibia. Interpretation CT scans and 3D VR images are more reliable in assessing postoperative bone tunnel placement following ACL reconstruction than standard radiographs. PMID:21999625

A Student-Built Scanning Tunneling Microscope

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ekkens, Tom

2015-01-01

Many introductory and nanotechnology textbooks discuss the operation of various microscopes including atomic force (AFM), scanning tunneling (STM), and scanning electron microscopes (SEM). In a nanotechnology laboratory class, students frequently utilize microscopes to obtain data without a thought about the detailed operation of the tool itself.…

Ionic channels in Langmuir-Blodgett films imaged by a scanning tunneling microscope.

PubMed Central

Kolomytkin, O V; Golubok, A O; Davydov, D N; Timofeev, V A; Vinogradova, S A; Tipisev SYa

1991-01-01

The molecular structure of channels formed by gramicidin A in a lipid membrane was imaged by a scanning tunneling microscope operating in air. The mono- and bimolecular films of lipid with gramicidin A were deposited onto a highly oriented pyrolitic graphite substrate by the Langmuir-Blodgett technique. It has been shown that under high concentration gramicidin A molecules can form in lipid films a quasi-regular, densely packed structure. Single gramicidin A molecules were imaged for the first time as well. The cavity of 0.4 +/- 0.05 nm in halfwidth was found on the scanning tunneling microscopy image of the gramicidin A molecule. The results of direct observation obtained by means of scanning tunneling microscope are in good agreement with the known molecular model of gramicidin A. It was shown that gramicidin A molecules can exist in a lipid monolayer as individual molecules or combined into clusters. The results demonstrate that scanning tunneling microscope can be used for high spatial resolution study of ionic channel structure. Images FIGURE 1 FIGURE 2 FIGURE 4 FIGURE 5 PMID:1712239

Imaging graphite in air by scanning tunneling microscopy - Role of the tip

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Colton, R. J.; Baker, S. M.; Driscoll, R. J.; Youngquist, M. G.; Baldeschwieler, J. D.; Kaiser, W. J.

1988-01-01

Atomically resolved images of highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) in air at point contact have been obtained. Direct contact between tip and sample or contact through a contamination layer provides a conduction mechanism in addition to the exponential tunneling mechanism responsible for scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) imaging. Current-voltage (I-V) spectra were obtained while scanning in the current imaging mode with the feedback circuit interrupted in order to study the graphite imaging mechanism. Multiple tunneling tips are probably responsible for images without the expected hexagonal or trigonal symmetry. The observations indicate that the use of HOPG for testing and calibration of STM instrumentation may be misleading.

Superconducting phonon spectroscopy using a low-temperature scanning tunneling microscope

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Leduc, H. G.; Kaiser, W. J.; Hunt, B. D.; Bell, L. D.; Jaklevic, R. C.

1989-01-01

The low-temperature scanning tunneling microscope (STM) system described by LeDuc et al. (1987) was used to observe the phonon density of states effects in a superconductor. Using techniques based on those employed in macroscopic tunneling spectroscopy, electron tunneling current-voltage (I-V) spectra were measured for NbN and Pb, and dI/dV vs V spectra were measured using standard analog derivative techniques. I-V measurements on NbN and Pb samples under typical STM conditions showed no evidence for multiparticle tunneling effects.

Realization of a four-step molecular switch in scanning tunneling microscope manipulation of single chlorophyll-a molecules

PubMed Central

Iancu, Violeta; Hla, Saw-Wai

2006-01-01

Single chlorophyll-a molecules, a vital resource for the sustenance of life on Earth, have been investigated by using scanning tunneling microscope manipulation and spectroscopy on a gold substrate at 4.6 K. Chlorophyll-a binds on Au(111) via its porphyrin unit while the phytyl-chain is elevated from the surface by the support of four CH3 groups. By injecting tunneling electrons from the scanning tunneling microscope tip, we are able to bend the phytyl-chain, which enables the switching of four molecular conformations in a controlled manner. Statistical analyses and structural calculations reveal that all reversible switching mechanisms are initiated by a single tunneling-electron energy-transfer process, which induces bond rotation within the phytyl-chain. PMID:16954201

Mn-silicide nanostructures aligned on massively parallel silicon nano-ribbons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

De Padova, Paola; Ottaviani, Carlo; Ronci, Fabio; Colonna, Stefano; Olivieri, Bruno; Quaresima, Claudio; Cricenti, Antonio; Dávila, Maria E.; Hennies, Franz; Pietzsch, Annette; Shariati, Nina; Le Lay, Guy

2013-01-01

The growth of Mn nanostructures on a 1D grating of silicon nano-ribbons is investigated at atomic scale by means of scanning tunneling microscopy, low energy electron diffraction and core level photoelectron spectroscopy. The grating of silicon nano-ribbons represents an atomic scale template that can be used in a surface-driven route to control the combination of Si with Mn in the development of novel materials for spintronics devices. The Mn atoms show a preferential adsorption site on silicon atoms, forming one-dimensional nanostructures. They are parallel oriented with respect to the surface Si array, which probably predetermines the diffusion pathways of the Mn atoms during the process of nanostructure formation.

Mn-silicide nanostructures aligned on massively parallel silicon nano-ribbons.

PubMed

De Padova, Paola; Ottaviani, Carlo; Ronci, Fabio; Colonna, Stefano; Olivieri, Bruno; Quaresima, Claudio; Cricenti, Antonio; Dávila, Maria E; Hennies, Franz; Pietzsch, Annette; Shariati, Nina; Le Lay, Guy

2013-01-09

The growth of Mn nanostructures on a 1D grating of silicon nano-ribbons is investigated at atomic scale by means of scanning tunneling microscopy, low energy electron diffraction and core level photoelectron spectroscopy. The grating of silicon nano-ribbons represents an atomic scale template that can be used in a surface-driven route to control the combination of Si with Mn in the development of novel materials for spintronics devices. The Mn atoms show a preferential adsorption site on silicon atoms, forming one-dimensional nanostructures. They are parallel oriented with respect to the surface Si array, which probably predetermines the diffusion pathways of the Mn atoms during the process of nanostructure formation.

Surface roughening transition and critical layer thickness in strained-layer heteroepitaxy of EuTe on PbTe (111)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Springholz, G.; Frank, N.; Bauer, G.

1994-05-01

Heteroepitaxial growth of 2% lattice-mismatched EuTe on PbTe (111) by molecular beam epitaxy is investigated in the two-dimensional layer-by-layer growth regime combining in situ reflection high-energy electron diffraction and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). At the critical layer thickness a distinct surface roughening is observed. The quantitative analysis of STM images yields an increase of the root mean square roughness by a factor of 4 at this roughening transition. Strong evidence is presented that for the used growth conditions this roughening is not caused by strain induced coherent islanding but by misfit dislocations at the onset of strain relaxation.

Correlation between morphology, electron band structure, and resistivity of Pb atomic chains on the Si(5 5 3)-Au surface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jałochowski, M.; Kwapiński, T.; Łukasik, P.; Nita, P.; Kopciuszyński, M.

2016-07-01

Structural and electron transport properties of multiple Pb atomic chains fabricated on the Si(5 5 3)-Au surface are investigated using scanning tunneling spectroscopy, reflection high electron energy diffraction, angular resolved photoemission electron spectroscopy and in situ electrical resistance. The study shows that Pb atomic chains growth modulates the electron band structure of pristine Si(5 5 3)-Au surface and hence changes its sheet resistivity. Strong correlation between chains morphology, electron band structure and electron transport properties is found. To explain experimental findings a theoretical tight-binding model of multiple atomic chains interacting on effective substrate is proposed.

78 FR 37206 - Application(s) for Duty-Free Entry of Scientific Instruments

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-06-20

... grapheme and measuring scanning tunneling spectroscopy of these magnetic impurities on grapheme, growing... by the ferromagnetic materials, as well measuring the scanning tunneling spectroscopy on topological...

Scanning Probe Platform | Materials Science | NREL

Science.gov Websites

level; this image obtained using a scanning tunneling microscope shows gray and white clusters of produce high-resolution color images or maps like this one obtained using scanning tunneling luminescence gray clusters. Gold substrate: (Left) STM image reveals the terraces of the H2 flamed substrate. (Right

Closed-loop conductance scanning tunneling spectroscopy: demonstrating the equivalence to the open-loop alternative.

PubMed

Hellenthal, Chris; Sotthewes, Kai; Siekman, Martin H; Kooij, E Stefan; Zandvliet, Harold J W

2015-01-01

We demonstrate the validity of using closed-loop z(V) conductance scanning tunneling spectroscopy (STS) measurements for the determination of the effective tunneling barrier by comparing them to more conventional open-loop I(z) measurements. Through the development of a numerical model, the individual contributions to the effective tunneling barrier present in these experiments, such as the work function and the presence of an image charge, are determined quantitatively. This opens up the possibility of determining tunneling barriers of both vacuum and molecular systems in an alternative and more detailed manner.

Selective scanning tunneling microscope light emission from rutile phase of VO2.

PubMed

Sakai, Joe; Kuwahara, Masashi; Hotsuki, Masaki; Katano, Satoshi; Uehara, Yoichi

2016-09-28

We observed scanning tunneling microscope light emission (STM-LE) induced by a tunneling current at the gap between an Ag tip and a VO2 thin film, in parallel to scanning tunneling spectroscopy (STS) profiles. The 34 nm thick VO2 film grown on a rutile TiO2 (0 0 1) substrate consisted of both rutile (R)- and monoclinic (M)-structure phases of a few 10 nm-sized domains at room temperature. We found that STM-LE with a certain photon energy of 2.0 eV occurs selectively from R-phase domains of VO2, while no STM-LE was observed from M-phase. The mechanism of STM-LE from R-phase VO2 was determined to be an interband transition process rather than inverse photoemission or inelastic tunneling processes.

Characterization and manipulation of individual defects in insulating hexagonal boron nitride using scanning tunnelling microscopy.

PubMed

Wong, Dillon; Velasco, Jairo; Ju, Long; Lee, Juwon; Kahn, Salman; Tsai, Hsin-Zon; Germany, Chad; Taniguchi, Takashi; Watanabe, Kenji; Zettl, Alex; Wang, Feng; Crommie, Michael F

2015-11-01

Defects play a key role in determining the properties and technological applications of nanoscale materials and, because they tend to be highly localized, characterizing them at the single-defect level is of particular importance. Scanning tunnelling microscopy has long been used to image the electronic structure of individual point defects in conductors, semiconductors and ultrathin films, but such single-defect electronic characterization remains an elusive goal for intrinsic bulk insulators. Here, we show that individual native defects in an intrinsic bulk hexagonal boron nitride insulator can be characterized and manipulated using a scanning tunnelling microscope. This would typically be impossible due to the lack of a conducting drain path for electrical current. We overcome this problem by using a graphene/boron nitride heterostructure, which exploits the atomically thin nature of graphene to allow the visualization of defect phenomena in the underlying bulk boron nitride. We observe three different defect structures that we attribute to defects within the bulk insulating boron nitride. Using scanning tunnelling spectroscopy we obtain charge and energy-level information for these boron nitride defect structures. We also show that it is possible to manipulate the defects through voltage pulses applied to the scanning tunnelling microscope tip.

Near-Field Scanning Optical Microscopy and Raman Microscopy.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harootunian, Alec Tate

1987-09-01

Both a one dimensional near-field scanning optical microscope and Raman microprobe were constructed. In near -field scanning optical microscopy (NSOM) a subwavelength aperture is scanned in the near-field of the object. Radiation transmitted through the aperture is collected to form an image as the aperture scans over the object. The resolution of an NSOM system is essentially wavelength independent and is limited by the diameter of the aperture used to scan the object. NSOM was developed in an effort to provide a nondestructive in situ high spatial resolution probe while still utilizing photons at optical wavelengths. The Raman microprobe constructed provided vibrational Raman information with spatial resolution equivalent that of a conventional diffraction limited microscope. Both transmission studies and near-field diffration studies of subwavelength apertures were performed. Diffraction theories for a small aperture in an infinitely thin conducting screen, a slit in a thick conducting screen, and an aperture in a black screen were examined. All three theories indicate collimation of radiation to the size to the size of the subwavelength aperture or slit in the near-field. Theoretical calculations and experimental results indicate that light transmitted through subwavelength apertures is readily detectable. Light of wavelength 4579 (ANGSTROM) was transmitted through apertures with diameters as small as 300 (ANGSTROM). These studies indicate the feasibility of constructing an NSOM system. One dimensional transmission and fluorescence NSOM systems were constructed. Apertures in the tips of metallized glass pipettes width inner diameters of less than 1000 (ANGSTROM) were used as a light source in the NSOM system. A tunneling current was used to maintain the aperture position in the near-field. Fluorescence NSOM was demonstrated for the first time. Microspectroscopic and Raman microscopic studies of turtle cone oil droplets were performed. Both the Raman vibrational frequencies and the Raman excitation data indicate that the carotenoids are unaggregated. The carotenoid astaxanthin was identified in the orange and red droplets by Raman microscopy. Future applications for both Raman microscopy and near-field microscopy were proposed. Four methods of near-field distance regulation were also examined. Finally, theoretical exposure curves for near-field lithography were calculated. Both the near-field lithographic results and the near field diffraction studies indicate essentially wavelength independent resolution. (Abstract shortened with permission of author.).

Scanning tunneling spectroscopy under large current flow through the sample.

PubMed

Maldonado, A; Guillamón, I; Suderow, H; Vieira, S

2011-07-01

We describe a method to make scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy imaging at very low temperatures while driving a constant electric current up to some tens of mA through the sample. It gives a new local probe, which we term current driven scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy. We show spectroscopic and topographic measurements under the application of a current in superconducting Al and NbSe(2) at 100 mK. Perspective of applications of this local imaging method includes local vortex motion experiments, and Doppler shift local density of states studies.

Magnetic coherent tunnel junctions with periodic grating barrier

PubMed Central

Fang, Henan; Xiao, Mingwen; Rui, Wenbin; Du, Jun; Tao, Zhikuo

2016-01-01

A new spintronic theory has been developed for the magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) with single-crystal barrier. The barrier will be treated as a diffraction grating with intralayer periodicity, the diffracted waves of tunneling electrons thus contain strong coherence, both in charge and especially in spin. The theory can answer the two basic problems present in MgO-based MTJs: (1) Why does the tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) oscillate with the barrier thickness? (2) Why is the TMR still far away from infinity when the two electrodes are both half-metallic? Other principal features of TMR can also be explained and reproduced by the present work. It also provides possible ways to modulate the oscillation of TMR, and to enhance TMR so that it can tend to infinity. Within the theory, the barrier, as a periodic diffraction grating, can get rid of the confinement in width, it can vary from nanoscale to microscale. Based on those results, a future-generation MTJ is proposed where the three pieces can be fabricated separately and then assembled together, it is especially appropriate for the layered materials, e.g., MoS2 and graphite, and most feasible for industries. PMID:27063998

Influence of atomic tip structure on the intensity of inelastic tunneling spectroscopy data analyzed by combined scanning tunneling spectroscopy, force microscopy, and density functional theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Okabayashi, Norio; Gustafsson, Alexander; Peronio, Angelo; Paulsson, Magnus; Arai, Toyoko; Giessibl, Franz J.

2016-04-01

Achieving a high intensity in inelastic scanning tunneling spectroscopy (IETS) is important for precise measurements. The intensity of the IETS signal can vary by up to a factor of 3 for various tips without an apparent reason accessible by scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) alone. Here, we show that combining STM and IETS with atomic force microscopy enables carbon monoxide front-atom identification, revealing that high IETS intensities for CO/Cu(111) are obtained for single-atom tips, while the intensity drops sharply for multiatom tips. Adsorption of the CO molecule on a Cu adatom [CO/Cu/Cu(111)] such that the molecule is elevated over the substrate strongly diminishes the tip dependence of IETS intensity, showing that an elevated position channels most of the tunneling current through the CO molecule even for multiatom tips, while a large fraction of the tunneling current bypasses the CO molecule in the case of CO/Cu(111).

The Harper–Hofstadter Hamiltonian and conical diffraction in photonic lattices with grating assisted tunneling

DOE PAGES

Dubček, Tena; Lelas, Karlo; Jukić, Dario; ...

2015-12-07

Here we propose the realization of a grating assisted tunneling scheme for tunable synthetic magnetic fields in optically induced one- and two-dimensional dielectric photonic lattices. As a signature of the synthetic magnetic fields, we demonstrate conical diffraction patterns in particular realization of these lattices, which possess Dirac points in k-space. Lastly, we compare the light propagation in these realistic (continuous) systems with the evolution in discrete models representing the Harper-Hofstadter Hamiltonian, and obtain excellent agreement.

Measuring Roughnesses Of Optical Surfaces

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Coulter, Daniel R.; Al-Jumaily, Gahnim A.; Raouf, Nasrat A.; Anderson, Mark S.

1994-01-01

Report discusses use of scanning tunneling microscopy and atomic force microscopy to measure roughnesses of optical surfaces. These techniques offer greater spatial resolution than other techniques. Report notes scanning tunneling microscopes and atomic force microscopes resolve down to 1 nm.

Compact, single-tube scanning tunneling microscope with thermoelectric cooling.

PubMed

Jobbins, Matthew M; Agostino, Christopher J; Michel, Jolai D; Gans, Ashley R; Kandel, S Alex

2013-10-01

We have designed and built a scanning tunneling microscope with a compact inertial-approach mechanism that fits inside the piezoelectric scanner tube. Rigid construction allows the microscope to be operated without the use of external vibration isolators or acoustic enclosures. Thermoelectric cooling and a water-ice bath are used to increase temperature stability when scanning under ambient conditions.

Wind Tunnel Testing of a One-Dimensional Laser Beam Scanning and Laser Sheet Approach to Shock Sensing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tokars, Roger; Adamovsky, Grigory; Anderson, Robert; Hirt, Stefanie; Huang, John; Floyd, Bertram

2012-01-01

A 15- by 15-cm supersonic wind tunnel application of a one-dimensional laser beam scanning approach to shock sensing is presented. The measurement system design allowed easy switching between a focused beam and a laser sheet mode for comparison purposes. The scanning results were compared to images from the tunnel Schlieren imaging system. The tests revealed detectable changes in the laser beam in the presence of shocks. The results lend support to the use of the one-dimensional scanning beam approach for detecting and locating shocks in a flow, but some issues must be addressed in regards to noise and other limitations of the system.

An ultrahigh-vacuum cryostat for simultaneous scanning tunneling microscopy and magneto-transport measurements down to 400 mK

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liebmann, Marcus; Bindel, Jan Raphael; Pezzotta, Mike; Becker, Stefan; Muckel, Florian; Johnsen, Tjorven; Saunus, Christian; Ast, Christian R.; Morgenstern, Markus

2017-12-01

We present the design and calibration measurements of a scanning tunneling microscope setup in a 3He ultrahigh-vacuum cryostat operating at 400 mK with a hold time of 10 days. With 2.70 m in height and 4.70 m free space needed for assembly, the cryostat fits in a one-story lab building. The microscope features optical access, an xy table, in situ tip and sample exchange, and enough contacts to facilitate atomic force microscopy in tuning fork operation and simultaneous magneto-transport measurements on the sample. Hence, it enables scanning tunneling spectroscopy on microstructured samples which are tuned into preselected transport regimes. A superconducting magnet provides a perpendicular field of up to 14 T. The vertical noise of the scanning tunneling microscope amounts to 1 pmrms within a 700 Hz bandwidth. Tunneling spectroscopy using one superconducting electrode revealed an energy resolution of 120 μeV. Data on tip-sample Josephson contacts yield an even smaller feature size of 60 μeV, implying that the system operates close to the physical noise limit.

An ultrahigh-vacuum cryostat for simultaneous scanning tunneling microscopy and magneto-transport measurements down to 400 mK.

PubMed

Liebmann, Marcus; Bindel, Jan Raphael; Pezzotta, Mike; Becker, Stefan; Muckel, Florian; Johnsen, Tjorven; Saunus, Christian; Ast, Christian R; Morgenstern, Markus

2017-12-01

We present the design and calibration measurements of a scanning tunneling microscope setup in a 3 He ultrahigh-vacuum cryostat operating at 400 mK with a hold time of 10 days. With 2.70 m in height and 4.70 m free space needed for assembly, the cryostat fits in a one-story lab building. The microscope features optical access, an xy table, in situ tip and sample exchange, and enough contacts to facilitate atomic force microscopy in tuning fork operation and simultaneous magneto-transport measurements on the sample. Hence, it enables scanning tunneling spectroscopy on microstructured samples which are tuned into preselected transport regimes. A superconducting magnet provides a perpendicular field of up to 14 T. The vertical noise of the scanning tunneling microscope amounts to 1 pm rms within a 700 Hz bandwidth. Tunneling spectroscopy using one superconducting electrode revealed an energy resolution of 120 μeV. Data on tip-sample Josephson contacts yield an even smaller feature size of 60 μeV, implying that the system operates close to the physical noise limit.

Scanning tunneling microscope assembly, reactor, and system

DOEpatents

Tao, Feng; Salmeron, Miquel; Somorjai, Gabor A

2014-11-18

An embodiment of a scanning tunneling microscope (STM) reactor includes a pressure vessel, an STM assembly, and three spring coupling objects. The pressure vessel includes a sealable port, an interior, and an exterior. An embodiment of an STM system includes a vacuum chamber, an STM reactor, and three springs. The three springs couple the STM reactor to the vacuum chamber and are operable to suspend the scanning tunneling microscope reactor within the interior of the vacuum chamber during operation of the STM reactor. An embodiment of an STM assembly includes a coarse displacement arrangement, a piezoelectric fine displacement scanning tube coupled to the coarse displacement arrangement, and a receiver. The piezoelectric fine displacement scanning tube is coupled to the coarse displacement arrangement. The receiver is coupled to the piezoelectric scanning tube and is operable to receive a tip holder, and the tip holder is operable to receive a tip.

Emittance of TD-NiCr after simulated reentry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Clark, R. K.; Dicus, D. L.; Lisagor, W. B.

1978-01-01

The effects of simulated reentry heating on the emittance of TD-NiCr were investigated. Groups of specimens with three different preconditioning treatments were exposed to 6, 24, and 30 half-hour simulated reentry exposure cycles in a supersonic arc tunnel at each of three conditions intended to produce surface temperatures of 1255, 1365, and 1475 K. Emittance was determined at 1300 K on specimens which were preconditioned only and specimens after completion of reentry simulation exposure. Oxide morphology and chemistry were studied by scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction analysis. A consistent relationship was established between oxide morphology and total normal emittance. Specimens with coarser textured oxides tended to have lower emittances than specimens with finer textured oxides.

Phosphorus adlayers on Platinum (110)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heikkinen, Olli; Riihimäki, Ari; Sainio, Jani; Lahtinen, Jouko

2017-10-01

Platinum is a metal utilized in many applications. Its catalytic activity can be decreased due to chemical poisoning caused e.g. by phosphorus. To gain more understanding of its poisoning, we present a study of phosphorus adsorption on a platinum (110) single crystal surface. Using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, we have found that the adsorbate coverage saturates at around 3 monolayers. Annealing the phosphorus-covered platinum surface at 750 °C gives rise to three different ordered adlayer structures, with symmetries of 2 × 3, 11 × 4 and √{ 2} × 1 , from the lowest to the highest coverage, detected with low-energy electron diffraction. We have studied the sample topography with scanning tunnelling microscopy. We also present a tentative model for the observed structures and their evolution.

Epitaxial growth of single-orientation high-quality MoS2 monolayers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bana, Harsh; Travaglia, Elisabetta; Bignardi, Luca; Lacovig, Paolo; Sanders, Charlotte E.; Dendzik, Maciej; Michiardi, Matteo; Bianchi, Marco; Lizzit, Daniel; Presel, Francesco; De Angelis, Dario; Apostol, Nicoleta; Das, Pranab Kumar; Fujii, Jun; Vobornik, Ivana; Larciprete, Rosanna; Baraldi, Alessandro; Hofmann, Philip; Lizzit, Silvano

2018-07-01

We present a study on the growth and characterization of high-quality single-layer MoS2 with a single orientation, i.e. without the presence of mirror domains. This single orientation of the MoS2 layer is established by means of x-ray photoelectron diffraction. The high quality is evidenced by combining scanning tunneling microscopy with x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements. Spin- and angle-resolved photoemission experiments performed on the sample revealed complete spin-polarization of the valence band states near the K and -K points of the Brillouin zone. These findings open up the possibility to exploit the spin and valley degrees of freedom for encoding and processing information in devices that are based on epitaxially grown materials.

(Tl, Sb) and (Tl, Bi) binary surface reconstructions on Ge(111) substrate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gruznev, D. V.; Bondarenko, L. V.; Tupchaya, A. Y.; Yakovlev, A. A.; Mihalyuk, A. N.; Zotov, A. V.; Saranin, A. A.

2018-03-01

2D compounds made of Group-III and Group-V elements on the surface of silicon and germanium attract considerable attention due to prospects of creating III-V binary monolayers, which are predicted to hold advanced physical properties. In the present work, we have investigated two such systems, (Tl, Sb)/Ge(111) and (Tl, Bi)/Ge(111) using scanning tunneling microscopy, low energy electron diffraction observations and density-functional-theory calculations. In addition to the previously reported surface structures of 2D (Tl, Sb) and (Tl, Bi) compounds on Si(111), we found new ones, namely, √{ 7} × √{ 7} and 3 × 3. Formation processes and plausible models of their atomic arrangements are discussed.

Lattice distortion of square iron nitride monolayers induced by changing symmetry of substrate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hattori, Takuma; Iimori, Takushi; Miyamachi, Toshio; Komori, Fumio

2018-04-01

Rectangular iron nitride monatomic layers are fabricated on the threefold symmetric Cu(111) substrate by taking advantage of the stability of the square nitride film. Two different ordered structures are observed on the Cu(111) substrate by scanning tunneling microscopy after annealing at 510 K and 580 K. Their chemical composition and lattice symmetry are investigated by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and low energy electron diffraction. The monolayer film prepared at 580 K is a distorted Fe2N monolayer analogous to a ferromagnetic square Fe2N monolayer with a clock reconstruction on the Cu(001) substrate. The lattice deformation of the square Fe2N monolayer is induced by using Cu(111) with threefold symmetry.

Structure of a zinc oxide ultra-thin film on Rh(100)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yuhara, J.; Kato, D.; Matsui, T.

The structural parameters of ultra-thin zinc oxide films on Rh(100) are investigated using low-energy electron diffraction intensity (LEED I–V) curves, scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), and first-principles density functional theory (DFT) calculations. From the analysis of LEED I–V curves and DFT calculations, two optimized models A and B are determined. Their structures are basically similar to the planer h-BN ZnO(0001) structure, although some oxygen atoms protrude from the surface, associated with an in-plane shift of Zn atoms. From a comparison of experimental STM images and simulated STM images, majority and minority structures observed in the STM images represent the two optimizedmore » models A and B, respectively.« less

Tunneling-Electron-Induced Light Emission from Single Gold Nanoclusters.

PubMed

Yu, Arthur; Li, Shaowei; Czap, Gregory; Ho, W

2016-09-14

The coupling of tunneling electrons with the tip-nanocluster-substrate junction plasmon was investigated by monitoring light emission in a scanning tunneling microscope (STM). Gold atoms were evaporated onto the ∼5 Å thick Al2O3 thin film grown on the NiAl (110) surface where they formed nanoclusters 3-7 nm wide. Scanning tunneling spectroscopy (STS) of these nanoclusters revealed quantum-confined electronic states. Spatially resolved photon imaging showed localized emission hot spots. Size dependent study and light emission from nanocluster dimers further support the viewpoint that coupling of tunneling electrons to the junction plasmon is the main radiative mechanism. These results showed the potential of the STM to reveal the electronic and optical properties of nanoscale metallic systems in the confined geometry of the tunnel junction.

Three-Dimensional Laser Scanning for Geometry Documentation and Construction Management of Highway Tunnels during Excavation

PubMed Central

Gikas, Vassilis

2012-01-01

Driven by progress in sensor technology, computer software and data processing capabilities, terrestrial laser scanning has recently proved a revolutionary technique for high accuracy, 3D mapping and documentation of physical scenarios and man-made structures. Particularly, this is of great importance in the underground space and tunnel construction environment as surveying engineering operations have a great impact on both technical and economic aspects of a project. This paper discusses the use and explores the potential of laser scanning technology to accurately track excavation and construction activities of highway tunnels. It provides a detailed overview of the static laser scanning method, its principles of operation and applications for tunnel construction operations. Also, it discusses the planning, execution, data processing and analysis phases of laser scanning activities, with emphasis given on geo-referencing, mesh model generation and cross-section extraction. Specific case studies are considered based on two construction sites in Greece. Particularly, the potential of the method is examined for checking the tunnel profile, producing volume computations and validating the smoothness/thickness of shotcrete layers at an excavation stage and during the completion of excavation support and primary lining. An additional example of the use of the method in the geometric documentation of the concrete lining formwork is examined and comparisons against dimensional tolerances are examined. Experimental comparisons and analyses of the laser scanning method against conventional surveying techniques are also considered. PMID:23112655

Local 2D-2D tunneling in high mobility electron systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pelliccione, Matthew; Sciambi, Adam; Bartel, John; Goldhaber-Gordon, David; Pfeiffer, Loren; West, Ken; Lilly, Michael; Bank, Seth; Gossard, Arthur

2012-02-01

Many scanning probe techniques have been utilized in recent years to measure local properties of high mobility two-dimensional (2D) electron systems in GaAs. However, most techniques lack the ability to tunnel into the buried 2D system and measure local spectroscopic information. We report scanning gate measurements on a bilayer GaAs/AlGaAs heterostructure that allows for a local modulation of tunneling between two 2D electron layers. We call this technique Virtual Scanning Tunneling Microscopy (VSTM) [1,2] as the influence of the scanning gate is analogous to an STM tip, except at a GaAs/AlGaAs interface instead of a surface. We will discuss the spectroscopic capabilities of the technique, and show preliminary results of measurements on a high mobility 2D electron system.[1] A. Sciambi, M. Pelliccione et al., Appl. Phys. Lett. 97, 132103 (2010).[2] A. Sciambi, M. Pelliccione et al., Phys. Rev. B 84, 085301 (2011).

A scanning tunneling microscope for a dilution refrigerator.

PubMed

Marz, M; Goll, G; Löhneysen, H v

2010-04-01

We present the main features of a home-built scanning tunneling microscope that has been attached to the mixing chamber of a dilution refrigerator. It allows scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy measurements down to the base temperature of the cryostat, T approximately 30 mK, and in applied magnetic fields up to 13 T. The topography of both highly ordered pyrolytic graphite and the dichalcogenide superconductor NbSe(2) has been imaged with atomic resolution down to T approximately 50 mK as determined from a resistance thermometer adjacent to the sample. As a test for a successful operation in magnetic fields, the flux-line lattice of superconducting NbSe(2) in low magnetic fields has been studied. The lattice constant of the Abrikosov lattice shows the expected field dependence proportional to 1/square root of B and measurements in the scanning tunneling spectroscopy mode clearly show the superconductive density of states with Andreev bound states in the vortex core.

Magnetic-field-controlled negative differential conductance in scanning tunneling spectroscopy of graphene npn junction resonators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Si-Yu; Liu, Haiwen; Qiao, Jia-Bin; Jiang, Hua; He, Lin

2018-03-01

Negative differential conductance (NDC), characterized by the decreasing current with increasing voltage, has attracted continuous attention for its various novel applications. The NDC typically exists in a certain range of bias voltages for a selected system and controlling the regions of NDC in curves of current versus voltage (I -V ) is experimentally challenging. Here, we demonstrate a magnetic-field-controlled NDC in scanning tunneling spectroscopy of graphene npn junction resonators. The magnetic field not only can switch on and off the NDC, but also can continuously tune the regions of the NDC in the I -V curves. In the graphene npn junction resonators, magnetic fields generate sharp and pronounced Landau-level peaks with the help of the Klein tunneling of massless Dirac fermions. A tip of scanning tunneling microscope induces a relatively shift of the Landau levels in graphene beneath the tip. Tunneling between the misaligned Landau levels results in the magnetic-field-controlled NDC.

Scanning Tunneling Spectroscope Use in Electrocatalysis Testing

PubMed Central

Knutsen, Turid

2010-01-01

The relationship between the electrocatalytic properties of an electrode and its ability to transfer electrons between the electrode and a metallic tip in a scanning tunneling microscope (STM) is investigated. The alkaline oxygen evolution reaction (OER) was used as a test reaction with four different metallic glasses, Ni78Si8B14, Ni70Mo20Si5B5, Ni58Co20Si10B12, and Ni25Co50Si15B10, as electrodes. The electrocatalytic properties of the electrodes were determined. The electrode surfaces were then investigated with an STM. A clear relationship between the catalytic activity of an electrode toward the OER and its tunneling characteristics was found. The use of a scanning tunneling spectroscope (STS) in electrocatalytic testing may increase the efficiency of the optimization of electrochemical processes.

Electron-bombarded 〈110〉-oriented tungsten tips for stable tunneling electron emission

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yamada, T. K.; Abe, T.; Nazriq, N. M. K.

A clean tungsten (W) tip apex with a robust atomic plane is required for producing a stable tunneling electron emission under strong electric fields. Because a tip apex fabricated from a wire by aqueous chemical etching is covered by impurity layers, heating treatment in ultra-high vacuum is experimentally known to be necessary. However, strong heating frequently melts the tip apex and causes unstable electron emissions. We investigated quantitatively the tip apex and found a useful method to prepare a tip with stable tunneling electron emissions by controlling electron-bombardment heating power. Careful characterizations of the tip structures were performed with combinationsmore » of using field emission I–V curves, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction (transmitted Debye-Scherrer and Laue) with micro-parabola capillary, field ion microscopy, and field emission microscopy. Tips were chemically etched from (1) polycrystalline W wires (grain size ∼1000 nm) and (2) long-time heated W wires (grain size larger than 1 mm). Heating by 10-40 W (10 s) was found to be good enough to remove oxide layers and produced stable electron emission; however, around 60 W (10 s) heating was threshold power to increase the tip radius, typically +10 ± 5 nm (onset of melting). Further, the grain size of ∼1000 nm was necessary to obtain a conical shape tip apex.« less

A measurement of electron-wall interactions using transmission diffraction from nanofabricated gratings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barwick, Brett; Gronniger, Glen; Yuan, Lu; Liou, Sy-Hwang; Batelaan, Herman

2006-10-01

Electron diffraction from metal coated freestanding nanofabricated gratings is presented, with a quantitative path integral analysis of the electron-grating interactions. Electron diffraction out to the 20th order was observed indicating the high quality of our nanofabricated gratings. The electron beam is collimated to its diffraction limit with ion-milled material slits. Our path integral analysis is first tested against single slit electron diffraction, and then further expanded with the same theoretical approach to describe grating diffraction. Rotation of the grating with respect to the incident electron beam varies the effective distance between the electron and grating bars. This allows the measurement of the image charge potential between the electron and the grating bars. Image charge potentials that were about 15% of the value for that of a pure electron-metal wall interaction were found. We varied the electron energy from 50to900eV. The interaction time is of the order of typical metal image charge response times and in principle allows the investigation of image charge formation. In addition to the image charge interaction there is a dephasing process reducing the transverse coherence length of the electron wave. The dephasing process causes broadening of the diffraction peaks and is consistent with a model that ascribes the dephasing process to microscopic contact potentials. Surface structures with length scales of about 200nm observed with a scanning tunneling microscope, and dephasing interaction strength typical of contact potentials of 0.35eV support this claim. Such a dephasing model motivated the investigation of different metallic coatings, in particular Ni, Ti, Al, and different thickness Au-Pd coatings. Improved quality of diffraction patterns was found for Ni. This coating made electron diffraction possible at energies as low as 50eV. This energy was limited by our electron gun design. These results are particularly relevant for the use of these gratings as coherent beam splitters in low energy electron interferometry.

Techniques For Mass Production Of Tunneling Electrodes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kenny, Thomas W.; Podosek, Judith A.; Reynolds, Joseph K.; Rockstad, Howard K.; Vote, Erika C.; Kaiser, William J.

1993-01-01

Techniques for mass production of tunneling electrodes developed from silicon-micromachining, lithographic patterning, and related microfabrication processes. Tunneling electrodes named because electrons travel between them by quantum-mechanical tunneling; tunneling electrodes integral parts of tunneling transducer/sensors, which act in conjunction with feedback circuitry to stabilize tunneling currents by maintaining electrode separations of order of 10 Angstrom. Essential parts of scanning tunneling microscopes and related instruments, and used as force and position transducers in novel microscopic accelerometers and infrared detectors.

An easy-to-implement filter for separating photo-excited signals from topography in scanning tunneling microscopy.

PubMed

Wang, Kangkang; Rosenmann, Daniel; Holt, Martin; Winarski, Robert; Hla, Saw-Wai; Rose, Volker

2013-06-01

In order to achieve elemental and chemical sensitivity in scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), synchrotron x-rays have been applied to excite core-level electrons during tunneling. The x-ray photo-excitations result in tip currents that are superimposed onto conventional tunneling currents. While carrying important physical information, the varying x-ray induced currents can destabilize the feedback loop causing it to be unable to maintain a constant tunneling current, sometimes even causing the tip to retract fully or crash. In this paper, we report on an easy-to-implement filter circuit that can separate the x-ray induced currents from conventional tunneling currents, thereby allowing simultaneous measurements of topography and chemical contrasts. The filter and the schematic presented here can also be applied to other variants of light-assisted STM such as laser STM.

Joule heating and spin-transfer torque investigated on the atomic scale using a spin-polarized scanning tunneling microscope.

PubMed

Krause, S; Herzog, G; Schlenhoff, A; Sonntag, A; Wiesendanger, R

2011-10-28

The influence of a high spin-polarized tunnel current onto the switching behavior of a superparamagnetic nanoisland on a nonmagnetic substrate is investigated by means of spin-polarized scanning tunneling microscopy. A detailed lifetime analysis allows for a quantification of the effective temperature rise of the nanoisland and the modification of the activation energy barrier for magnetization reversal, thereby using the nanoisland as a local thermometer and spin-transfer torque analyzer. Both the Joule heating and spin-transfer torque are found to scale linearly with the tunnel current. The results are compared to experiments performed on lithographically fabricated magneto-tunnel junctions, revealing a very high spin-transfer torque switching efficiency in our experiments.

Tunneling interferometry and measurement of the thickness of ultrathin metallic Pb(111) films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ustavshchikov, S. S.; Putilov, A. V.; Aladyshkin, A. Yu.

2017-10-01

Spectra of the differential tunneling conductivity for ultrathin lead films grown on Si(111) 7 × 7 single crystals with a thickness of 9 to 50 ML have been studied by low-temperature scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy. The presence of local maxima of the tunneling conductivity is characteristic of such systems. The energies of maxima of the differential conductivity are determined by the spectrum of quantum-confined states of electrons in a metallic layer and, consequently, the local thickness of the layer. It has been shown that features of the microstructure of substrates, such as steps of monatomic height, structural defects, and inclusions of other materials covered with a lead layer, can be visualized by bias-modulation scanning tunneling spectroscopy.

Effects of moiré lattice structure on electronic properties of graphene

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Huang, Lunan; Wu, Yun; Hershberger, M. T.

Here, we study structural and electronic properties of graphene grown on silicone carbide (SiC) substrate using a scanning tunneling microscope, spot-profile-analysis low-energy electron diffraction, and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy. We find several new replicas of Dirac cones in the Brillouin zone. Their locations can be understood in terms of a combination of basis vectors linked to SiC 6 × 6 and graphene 6√3×6√3 reconstruction. Therefore, these new features originate from the moiré caused by the lattice mismatch between SiC and graphene. More specifically, Dirac cone replicas are caused by underlying weak modulation of the ionic potential by the substrate that ismore » then experienced by the electrons in the graphene. We also demonstrate that this effect is equally strong in single- and trilayer graphene; therefore, the additional Dirac cones are intrinsic features rather than the result of photoelectron diffraction. These new features in the electronic structure are very important for the interpretation of recent transport measurements and can assist in tuning the properties of graphene for practical applications.« less

The microscopic structure of charge density waves in underdoped YBa 2Cu 3O 6.54 revealed by x-ray diffraction

DOE PAGES

E. M. Forgan; Huecker, M.; Blackburn, E.; ...

2015-12-09

Charge density wave (CDW) order appears throughout the underdoped high-temperature cuprate superconductors, but the underlying symmetry breaking and the origin of the CDW remain unclear. We use X-ray diffraction to determine the microscopic structure of the CDWs in an archetypical cuprate YBa 2Cu 3O 6.54 at its superconducting transition temperature ~60 K. We find that the CDWs in this material break the mirror symmetry of the CuO 2 bilayers. The ionic displacements in the CDWs have two components, which are perpendicular and parallel to the CuO 2 planes, and are out of phase with each other. The planar oxygen atomsmore » have the largest displacements, perpendicular to the CuO 2 planes. Our results allow many electronic properties of the underdoped cuprates to be understood. For example, the CDWs will lead to local variations in the electronic structure, giving an explicit explanation of density-wave states with broken symmetry observed in scanning tunnelling microscopy and soft X-ray measurements.« less

Effects of moiré lattice structure on electronic properties of graphene

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Lunan; Wu, Yun; Hershberger, M. T.; Mou, Daixiang; Schrunk, Benjamin; Tringides, Michael C.; Hupalo, Myron; Kaminski, Adam

2017-07-01

We study structural and electronic properties of graphene grown on silicone carbide (SiC) substrate using a scanning tunneling microscope, spot-profile-analysis low-energy electron diffraction, and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy. We find several new replicas of Dirac cones in the Brillouin zone. Their locations can be understood in terms of a combination of basis vectors linked to SiC 6 × 6 and graphene 6 √{3 }×6 √{3 } reconstruction. Therefore, these new features originate from the moiré caused by the lattice mismatch between SiC and graphene. More specifically, Dirac cone replicas are caused by underlying weak modulation of the ionic potential by the substrate that is then experienced by the electrons in the graphene. We also demonstrate that this effect is equally strong in single- and trilayer graphene; therefore, the additional Dirac cones are intrinsic features rather than the result of photoelectron diffraction. These new features in the electronic structure are very important for the interpretation of recent transport measurements and can assist in tuning the properties of graphene for practical applications.

Effects of moiré lattice structure on electronic properties of graphene

DOE PAGES

Huang, Lunan; Wu, Yun; Hershberger, M. T.; ...

2017-07-10

Here, we study structural and electronic properties of graphene grown on silicone carbide (SiC) substrate using a scanning tunneling microscope, spot-profile-analysis low-energy electron diffraction, and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy. We find several new replicas of Dirac cones in the Brillouin zone. Their locations can be understood in terms of a combination of basis vectors linked to SiC 6 × 6 and graphene 6√3×6√3 reconstruction. Therefore, these new features originate from the moiré caused by the lattice mismatch between SiC and graphene. More specifically, Dirac cone replicas are caused by underlying weak modulation of the ionic potential by the substrate that ismore » then experienced by the electrons in the graphene. We also demonstrate that this effect is equally strong in single- and trilayer graphene; therefore, the additional Dirac cones are intrinsic features rather than the result of photoelectron diffraction. These new features in the electronic structure are very important for the interpretation of recent transport measurements and can assist in tuning the properties of graphene for practical applications.« less

Surface Interaction Kinetics of GaAs (100) Surfaces Under Electron Cyclotron Resonance Nitrogen Plasma Exposure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

O'Steen, M. L.; Hauenstein, R. J.; Bandić, Z. Z.; Feenstra, R. M.; Hwang, S. J.; McGill, T. C.

1996-03-01

GaN is a robust semiconducting material offering a large, direct bandgap appropriate for use in blue-green to UV light emitting diodes and laser diodes. Attainment of device quality GaN has been difficult due to the lack of substrate materials that are suitably matched to the unusually small lattice parameter of GaN. To better control heteroepitaxial growth quality, a fundamental study of the initial stages of GaN growth by Electron Cyclotron Resonance Nitrogen Plasma-Assisted Molecular Beam Epitaxy (ECR-MBE) has been performed. The effect of an ECR Nitrogen plasma on a GaAs (100) surface is examined through time resolved reflection high energy electron diffraction, high resolution x-ray diffraction, and cross-sectional scanning tunneling microscopy. Fully commensurate GaN_yAs_1-y/GaAs heterostructures involving ultrathin GaN_yAs_1-y layers are obtained, and thermally activated microscopic growth processes are identified and quantitatively characterized through the aid of a specially developed kinetic model. The implications for ECR-MBE growth of GaN/GaAs mutilayers is discussed.

The microscopic structure of charge density waves in underdoped YBa2Cu3O6.54 revealed by X-ray diffraction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Forgan, E. M.; Blackburn, E.; Holmes, A. T.; Briffa, A. K. R.; Chang, J.; Bouchenoire, L.; Brown, S. D.; Liang, Ruixing; Bonn, D.; Hardy, W. N.; Christensen, N. B.; Zimmermann, M. V.; Hücker, M.; Hayden, S. M.

2015-12-01

Charge density wave (CDW) order appears throughout the underdoped high-temperature cuprate superconductors, but the underlying symmetry breaking and the origin of the CDW remain unclear. We use X-ray diffraction to determine the microscopic structure of the CDWs in an archetypical cuprate YBa2Cu3O6.54 at its superconducting transition temperature ~60 K. We find that the CDWs in this material break the mirror symmetry of the CuO2 bilayers. The ionic displacements in the CDWs have two components, which are perpendicular and parallel to the CuO2 planes, and are out of phase with each other. The planar oxygen atoms have the largest displacements, perpendicular to the CuO2 planes. Our results allow many electronic properties of the underdoped cuprates to be understood. For instance, the CDWs will lead to local variations in the electronic structure, giving an explicit explanation of density-wave states with broken symmetry observed in scanning tunnelling microscopy and soft X-ray measurements.

Investigating Intermolecular Interactions via Scanning Tunneling Microscopy: An Experiment for the Physical Chemistry Laboratory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pullman, David; Peterson, Karen I.

2004-01-01

A scanning tunneling microscope (STM) project designed as a module for the undergraduate physical chemistry laboratory is described. The effects of van der Waals interactions on the condensed-phase structure are examined by the analysis of the pattern of the monolayer structures.

Wideband Feedback Circuit For Tunneling Sensor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kaiser, William J.; Kenny, Thomas W.; Rockstad, Howard K.; Reynolds, Joseph K.

1994-01-01

Improved feedback circuit designed for use in controlling tunneling displacement transducer. Features include stability and nearly flat frequency response up to 50 kHz. Transducer could be that in scanning tunneling microscope, or any of micromachined electromechanical transducers described in "Micromachined Electron-Tunneling Infrared Detectors" (NPO-18413), "Micromachined Tunneling Accelerometer" (NPO-18513), and "Improved Electromechanical Infrared Sensor" (NPO-18560).

Theoretical study of carbon-based tips for scanning tunnelling microscopy.

PubMed

González, C; Abad, E; Dappe, Y J; Cuevas, J C

2016-03-11

Motivated by recent experiments, we present here a detailed theoretical analysis of the use of carbon-based conductive tips in scanning tunnelling microscopy. In particular, we employ ab initio methods based on density functional theory to explore a graphitic, an amorphous carbon and two diamond-like tips for imaging with a scanning tunnelling microscope (STM), and we compare them with standard metallic tips made of gold and tungsten. We investigate the performance of these tips in terms of the corrugation of the STM images acquired when scanning a single graphene sheet. Moreover, we analyse the impact of the tip-sample distance and show that it plays a fundamental role in the resolution and symmetry of the STM images. We also explore in depth how the adsorption of single atoms and molecules in the tip apexes modifies the STM images and demonstrate that, in general, it leads to an improved image resolution. The ensemble of our results provides strong evidence that carbon-based tips can significantly improve the resolution of STM images, as compared to more standard metallic tips, which may open a new line of research in scanning tunnelling microscopy.

Scanning tunneling microscopy, orbital-mediated tunneling spectroscopy, and ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy of metal(II) tetraphenylporphyrins deposited from vapor.

PubMed

Scudiero, L; Barlow, D E; Mazur, U; Hipps, K W

2001-05-02

Thin films of vapor-deposited Ni(II) and Co(II) complexes of tetraphenylporphyrin (NiTPP and CoTPP) were studied supported on gold and embedded in Al-Al(2)O(3)-MTPP-Pb tunnel diodes, where M = Ni or Co. Thin films deposited onto polycrystalline gold were analyzed by ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy (UPS) using He I radiation. Scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and orbital-mediated tunneling spectroscopy (STM-OMTS) were performed on submonolayer films of CoTPP and NiTPP supported on Au(111). Inelastic electron tunneling spectroscopy (IETS) and OMTS were measured in conventional tunnel diode structures. The highest occupied pi molecular orbital of the porphyrin ring was seen in both STM-OMTS and UPS at about 6.4 eV below the vacuum level. The lowest unoccupied pi molecular orbital of the porphyrin ring was observed by STM-OMTS and by IETS-OMTS to be located near 3.4 eV below the vacuum level. The OMTS spectra of CoTPP had a band near 5.2 eV (below the vacuum level) that was attributed to transient oxidation of the central Co(II) ion. That is, it is due to electron OMT via the half-filled d(z)(2) orbital present in Co(II) of CoTPP. The NiTPP OMTS spectra show no such band, consistent with the known difficulty of oxidation of the Ni(II) ion. The STM-based OMTS allowed these two porphyrin complexes to be easily distinguished. The present work is the first report of the observation of STM-OMTS, tunnel junction OMTS, and UPS of the same compounds. Scanning tunneling microscope-based orbital-mediated tunneling provides more information than UPS or tunnel junction-based OMTS and does so with molecular-scale resolution.

Microwave Frequency Comb from a Semiconductor in a Scanning Tunneling Microscope.

PubMed

Hagmann, Mark J; Yarotski, Dmitry A; Mousa, Marwan S

2017-04-01

Quasi-periodic excitation of the tunneling junction in a scanning tunneling microscope, by a mode-locked ultrafast laser, superimposes a regular sequence of 15 fs pulses on the DC tunneling current. In the frequency domain, this is a frequency comb with harmonics at integer multiples of the laser pulse repetition frequency. With a gold sample the 200th harmonic at 14.85 GHz has a signal-to-noise ratio of 25 dB, and the power at each harmonic varies inversely with the square of the frequency. Now we report the first measurements with a semiconductor where the laser photon energy must be less than the bandgap energy of the semiconductor; the microwave frequency comb must be measured within 200 μm of the tunneling junction; and the microwave power is 25 dB below that with a metal sample and falls off more rapidly at the higher harmonics. Our results suggest that the measured attenuation of the microwave harmonics is sensitive to the semiconductor spreading resistance within 1 nm of the tunneling junction. This approach may enable sub-nanometer carrier profiling of semiconductors without requiring the diamond nanoprobes in scanning spreading resistance microscopy.

Demonstration of synchronised scanning Lidar measurements of 2D velocity fields in a boundary-layer wind tunnel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Dooren, M. F.; Kühn, M.; PetroviĆ, V.; Bottasso, C. L.; Campagnolo, F.; Sjöholm, M.; Angelou, N.; Mikkelsen, T.; Croce, A.; Zasso, A.

2016-09-01

This paper combines the currently relevant research methodologies of scaled wind turbine model experiments in wind tunnels with remote-sensing short-range WindScanner Lidar measurement technology. The wind tunnel of the Politecnico di Milano was equipped with three wind turbine models and two short-range WindScanner Lidars to demonstrate the benefits of synchronised scanning Lidars in such experimental surroundings for the first time. The dual- Lidar system can provide fully synchronised trajectory scans with sampling time scales ranging from seconds to minutes. First, staring mode measurements were compared to hot wire probe measurements commonly used in wind tunnels. This yielded goodness of fit coefficients of 0.969 and 0.902 for the 1 Hz averaged u- and v-components of the wind speed, respectively, validating the 2D measurement capability of the Lidar scanners. Subsequently, the measurement of wake profiles on a line as well as wake area scans were executed to illustrate the applicability of Lidar scanning to measuring small scale wind flow effects. The downsides of Lidar with respect to the hot wire probes are the larger measurement probe volume and the loss of some measurements due to moving blades. In contrast, the benefits are the high flexibility in conducting both point measurements and area scanning, and the fact that remote sensing techniques do not disturb the flow while measuring. The research campaign revealed a high potential for using short-range WindScanner Lidar for accurately measuring small scale flow structures in a wind tunnel.

Growth, Structural, Electronic, and Magnetic Characterization of GaN, CrN, Fe Islands on CrN, and Fe/CrN Bilayer Thin Films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alam, Khan

As a part of my Ph.D research, initially I was involved in construction and calibration of an ultra-high vacuum thin film facility, and later on I studied structural, electronic, and magnetic properties of GaN, CrN, Fe/CrN bilayers, and Fe islands on CrN thin films. All of these films were grown by molecular beam epitaxy and characterized with a variety of state-of-the-art techniques including variable temperature reflection high energy electron diffraction, low temperature scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy, variable temperature vibrating sample magnetometry, variable temperature neutron diffraction and reflectometry, variable temperature x-ray diffraction, x-ray reflectometry, Rutherford backscattering, Auger electron spectroscopy, and cross-sectional tunneling electron microscopy. The experimental results are furthermore understood by comparing with numerical calculations using generalized gradient approximation, local density approximation with Hubbard correction, Refl1D, and data analysis and visual environment program. In my first research project, I studied Ga gas adatoms on GaN surfaces. We discovered frozen-out gallium gas adatoms on atomically smooth c(6x12) GaN(0001¯) surface using low temperature scanning tunneling microscopy. We identified adsorption sites of the Ga adatoms on c(6x12) reconstructed surface. Their bonding is determined by measuring low unoccupied molecular orbital level. Absorption sites of the Ga gas adatoms on centered 6x12 are identified, and their asymmetric absorption on the chiral domains is investigated. In second project, I investigated magneto-structural phase transition in chromium nitride (CrN) thin films. The CrN thin films are grown by molecular beam epitaxy. Structural and magnetic transition are studied using variable temperature reflection high energy electron diffraction and variable temperature neutron diffraction. We observed a structural phase transition at the surface at 277+/-2 K, and a sharp, first-order magnetic phase transition from paramagnetic (room temperature) to antiferromagnetic (low temperature) at 280+/-3 K. Our experiments suggest that the structural transition in CrN thin films occur in out-of-plane direction, and epitaxial constraints suppress the in-plane transition; therefore, the low temperature crystal structure of CrN is tetragonal. This new model explains our structural and magnetic data at low temperatures, but it is different than the previously published orthorhombic model. In third project, I studied exchange bias and exchange spring effect in MBE grown Fe/CrN bilayer thin films. We grew Fe/CrN bilayer thin films on MgO(001) substrate by molecular beam epitaxy, and studied them using variable temperature vibrating sample magnetometry, polarized neutron reflectometry, x-ray reflectivity, and cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy. We observed exchange bias and exchange spring effect in all bilayer thin films. We studied the relationship of exchange bias, blocking temperature, and coercivity with Fe and CrN layers thicknesses. We used polarized neutron beam reflectometry to see if spins at Fe/CrN interface are pinned. We found a thin ferromagnetically ordered CrN layer at the interface. In my final project, I studied growth of submonolayer Fe islands on CrN thin films. These films are prepared in two stages: first, a CrN layer is grown by MBE and then a submonolayer Fe is deposited at room temperature from a carefully degassed e-beam evaporator. The films are studied at liquid helium temperature using low temperature scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy. Islands are seen in STM images, after the Fe deposition, at the edges as well as at the center of atomically flat CrN terraces. However, numerical calculations performed by our collaborator Ponce-P'erez from Benem'erita Universidad Aut'onoma de Puebla show that the Fe islands are energetically unstable on the surface. The Fe atoms substitute Cr atoms in the surface layer and the Cr atoms comes out and form islands. In order to find out elemental composition of the islands, we attempted to map local density of state by measuring differential conductance spectra as a function of bias voltage using LT-STS. We observed three characteristically different spectra; one in the CrN substrate and two in the islands. The CrN substrate curve has a "U" shape near Fermi level and a peak at ≈ 105 mV. The islands spectra show Kondo-like resonances at Fermi level; some islands produce a peak whereas others produce a dip the dI/dV curves near Fermi level. Further investigations are needed to determine the origin of the peak and dip in the island curves, as well as to find the composition of the islands.

Systematic analyses of vibration noise of a vibration isolation system for high-resolution scanning tunneling microscopes.

PubMed

Iwaya, Katsuya; Shimizu, Ryota; Hashizume, Tomihiro; Hitosugi, Taro

2011-08-01

We designed and constructed an effective vibration isolation system for stable scanning tunneling microscopy measurements using a separate foundation and two vibration isolation stages (i.e., a combination of passive and active vibration isolation dampers). Systematic analyses of vibration data along the horizontal and vertical directions are present, including the vibration transfer functions of each stage and the overall vibration isolation system. To demonstrate the performance of the system, tunneling current noise measurements are conducted with and without the vibration isolation. Combining passive and active vibration isolation dampers successfully removes most of the vibration noise in the tunneling current up to 100 Hz. These comprehensive vibration noise data, along with details of the entire system, can be used to establish a clear guideline for building an effective vibration isolation system for various scanning probe microscopes and electron microscopes.

Band Alignment in MoS2/WS2 Transition Metal Dichalcogenide Heterostructures Probed by Scanning Tunneling Microscopy and Spectroscopy.

PubMed

Hill, Heather M; Rigosi, Albert F; Rim, Kwang Taeg; Flynn, George W; Heinz, Tony F

2016-08-10

Using scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and scanning tunneling spectroscopy (STS), we examine the electronic structure of transition metal dichalcogenide heterostructures (TMDCHs) composed of monolayers of MoS2 and WS2. STS data are obtained for heterostructures of varying stacking configuration as well as the individual monolayers. Analysis of the tunneling spectra includes the influence of finite sample temperature, yield information about the quasi-particle bandgaps, and the band alignment of MoS2 and WS2. We report the band gaps of MoS2 (2.16 ± 0.04 eV) and WS2 (2.38 ± 0.06 eV) in the materials as measured on the heterostructure regions and the general type II band alignment for the heterostructure, which shows an interfacial band gap of 1.45 ± 0.06 eV.

Scanning Tunneling Spectroscopy of Potassium on Graphene

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cormode, Daniel; Leroy, Brian; Yankowitz, Matthew

2012-02-01

We investigate the effect of charged impurities on the electronic properties of large single crystal CVD grown graphene using scanning tunneling microscopy. Mono- and multilayer crystals were prepared by transferring graphene from copper onto exfoliated boron nitride flakes on 300 nm SiO2 substrates. The boron nitride provides an ultra flat surface for the graphene. Potassium atoms are controllably deposited on the graphene at low temperature by heating a nearby getter source. Scanning tunneling spectroscopy and transport measurements were performed in ultra high vacuum at 4.5 K. Transport measurements demonstrate the shifting of the Dirac point as the samples are doped, while STM measurements demonstrate the size, arrangement and local electronic influence of the potassium atoms.

Fabrication of silver tips for scanning tunneling microscope induced luminescence.

PubMed

Zhang, C; Gao, B; Chen, L G; Meng, Q S; Yang, H; Zhang, R; Tao, X; Gao, H Y; Liao, Y; Dong, Z C

2011-08-01

We describe a reliable fabrication procedure of silver tips for scanning tunneling microscope (STM) induced luminescence experiments. The tip was first etched electrochemically to yield a sharp cone shape using selected electrolyte solutions and then sputter cleaned in ultrahigh vacuum to remove surface oxidation. The tip status, in particular the tip induced plasmon mode and its emission intensity, can be further tuned through field emission and voltage pulse. The quality of silver tips thus fabricated not only offers atomically resolved STM imaging, but more importantly, also allows us to perform challenging "color" photon mapping with emission spectra taken at each pixel simultaneously during the STM scan under relatively small tunnel currents and relatively short exposure time.

Three-dimensional scanning force/tunneling spectroscopy at room temperature.

PubMed

Sugimoto, Yoshiaki; Ueda, Keiichi; Abe, Masayuki; Morita, Seizo

2012-02-29

We simultaneously measured the force and tunneling current in three-dimensional (3D) space on the Si(111)-(7 × 7) surface using scanning force/tunneling microscopy at room temperature. The observables, the frequency shift and the time-averaged tunneling current were converted to the physical quantities of interest, i.e. the interaction force and the instantaneous tunneling current. Using the same tip, the local density of states (LDOS) was mapped on the same surface area at constant height by measuring the time-averaged tunneling current as a function of the bias voltage at every lateral position. LDOS images at negative sample voltages indicate that the tip apex is covered with Si atoms, which is consistent with the Si-Si covalent bonding mechanism for AFM imaging. A measurement technique for 3D force/current mapping and LDOS imaging on the equivalent surface area using the same tip was thus demonstrated.

An easy-to-implement filter for separating photo-excited signals from topography in scanning tunneling microscopy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wang Kangkang; Rosenmann, Daniel; Holt, Martin

2013-06-15

In order to achieve elemental and chemical sensitivity in scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), synchrotron x-rays have been applied to excite core-level electrons during tunneling. The x-ray photo-excitations result in tip currents that are superimposed onto conventional tunneling currents. While carrying important physical information, the varying x-ray induced currents can destabilize the feedback loop causing it to be unable to maintain a constant tunneling current, sometimes even causing the tip to retract fully or crash. In this paper, we report on an easy-to-implement filter circuit that can separate the x-ray induced currents from conventional tunneling currents, thereby allowing simultaneous measurements ofmore » topography and chemical contrasts. The filter and the schematic presented here can also be applied to other variants of light-assisted STM such as laser STM.« less

Molecular Rotors

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-10-31

microwave signal processing components, and micro-fluidic devices. The projected involved the preparation, surface mounting, and characterization of...Guisinger, R. Basu, and M. C. Hersam, “Atomic-level characterization and control of free radical surface chemistry using scanning tunneling microscopy...Basu, and M. C. Hersam, “Atomic level characterization and control of organosilicon surface chemistry using scanning tunneling microscopy,” presented

Simultaneous topographic and elemental chemical and magnetic contrast in scanning tunneling microscopy

DOEpatents

Rose, Volker; Preissner, Curt A; Hla, Saw-Wai; Wang, Kangkang; Rosenmann, Daniel

2014-09-30

A method and system for performing simultaneous topographic and elemental chemical and magnetic contrast analysis in a scanning, tunneling microscope. The method and system also includes nanofabricated coaxial multilayer tips with a nanoscale conducting apex and a programmable in-situ nanomanipulator to fabricate these tips and also to rotate tips controllably.

Preparation of Chemically Etched Tips for Ambient Instructional Scanning Tunneling Microscopy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zaccardi, Margot J.; Winkelmann, Kurt; Olson, Joel A.

2010-01-01

A first-year laboratory experiment that utilizes concepts of electrochemical tip etching for scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) is described. This experiment can be used in conjunction with any STM experiment. Students electrochemically etch gold STM tips using a time-efficient method, which can then be used in an instructional grade STM that…

Scanning tunneling microscopy of the formation, transformation, and property of oligothiophene self-organizations on graphite and gold surfaces.

PubMed

Yang, Zhi-Yong; Zhang, Hui-Min; Yan, Cun-Ji; Li, Shan-Shan; Yan, Hui-Juan; Song, Wei-Guo; Wan, Li-Jun

2007-03-06

Two alkyl-substituted dual oligothiophenes, quarterthiophene (4T)-trimethylene (tm)-octithiophene (8T) and 4T-tm-4T, were used to fabricate molecular structures on highly oriented pyrolytic graphite and Au(111) surfaces. The resulted structures were investigated by scanning tunneling microscopy. The 4T-tm-8T and 4T-tm-4T molecules self-organize into long-range ordered structures with linear and/or quasi-hexagonal patterns on highly oriented pyrolytic graphite at ambient temperature. Thermal annealing induced a phase transformation from quasi-hexagonal to linear in 4T-tm-8T adlayer. The molecules adsorbed on Au(111) surface in randomly folded and linear conformation. Based on scanning tunneling microscopy results, the structural models for different self-organizations were proposed. Scanning tunneling spectroscopy measurement showed the electronic property of individual molecules in the patterns. These results are significant in understanding the chemistry of molecular structure, including its formation, transformation, and electronic properties. They also help to fabricate oligothiophene assemblies with desired structures for future molecular devices.

Low-temperature scanning tunneling microscopy of ring-like surface electronic structures around Co islands on InAs(110) surfaces.

PubMed

Muzychenko, D A; Schouteden, K; Savinov, S V; Maslova, N S; Panov, V I; Van Haesendonck, C

2009-08-01

We report on the experimental observation by scanning tunneling microscopy at low temperature of ring-like features that appear around Co metal islands deposited on a clean (110) oriented surface of cleaved p-type InAs crystals. These features are visible in spectroscopic images within a certain range of negative tunneling bias voltages due to the presence of a negative differential conductance in the current-voltage dependence. A theoretical model is introduced, which takes into account non-equilibrium effects in the small tunneling junction area. In the framework of this model the appearance of the ring-like features is explained in terms of interference effects between electrons tunneling directly and indirectly (via a Co island) between the tip and the InAs surface.

A Study on the Rectification Property of Self-Assembled Viologen Single Molecules Using a Scanning Tunneling Microscopy.

PubMed

Lee, Nam-Suk; Shin, Hoon-Kyu; Kwon, Young-Soo

2015-02-01

An ultrahigh vacuum scanning tunneling microscopy (UHV-STM) and a scanning tunneling spectroscopy (STS) are used measure the rectification property of self-assembled viologen single molecules (VC8SH, VC10SH, HSC8VC8SH, and HSC10VC10SH) in the previous study. Using STM we observe viologen single molecules in the self-assembled octanethiol (OT) SAM matrix. In the OT matrix a mixed phase that includes a c(4 x 2) superlattice of high-density standing up-phase is observed. We indicate high peak current-like rectifications at + 1.68 V(VC8SH), + 1.56 V(VC10SH), + 1.14 V(HSC8VC8SH), and + 1.04 V(HSC10VC10SH) based on the experiment implemented in this study. In addition, transition voltages (Vtrans) from direct tunneling to the Fowler-Nordheim tunneling are presented at 1.08 V(VC8SH), 0.97 V(VC10SH), 0.99 V(HSC8VC8SH), and 0.89 V(HSC1VC1SH).

EDITORIAL: Scanning probe microscopy: a visionary development Scanning probe microscopy: a visionary development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Demming, Anna

2013-07-01

The development of scanning probe microscopy repositioned modern physics. When Rohrer and Binnig first used electronic tunnelling effects to image atoms and quantum states they did more than pin down theoretical hypotheses to real-world observables; the scanning tunnelling microscope fed imaginations, prompting researchers to consider new directions and possibilities [1]. As Rohrer once commented, 'We could show that you can easily manipulate or position something small in space with an accuracy of 10 pm.... When you can do that, you simply have ideas of what you can do' [2]. The development heralded a cavalry of scanning probe techniques—such as atomic force microscopy (AFM) [3-5], scanning near-field optical microscopy (SNOM) [6-8] and Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM) [9, 10]—that still continue to bring nanomaterials and nanoscale phenomena into fresh focus. Not long after the development of scanning tunnelling microscopy, Binnig, Quate and Gerber collaborating in California in the US published work on a new type of microscope also capable of atomic level resolution [3]. The original concept behind scanning tunnelling microscopy uses electrical conductance, which places substantial limitations on the systems that it can image. Binnig, Quate and Gerber developed the AFM to 'feel' the topology of surfaces like the needle of an old fashioned vinyl player. In this way insulators could be imaged as well. The development of a force modulation mode AFM extended the tool's reach to soft materials making images of biological samples accessible with the technique [4]. There have now been a number of demonstrations of image capture at rates that allow dynamics at the nanoscale to be tracked in real time, opening further possibilities in applications of the AFM as described in a recent review by Toshio Ando at Kanazawa University [5]. Researchers also found a way to retrieve optical information at 'super-resolution' [6, 7]. Optical microscopy provides spectral details that harbour a wealth of additional information about the sample and its environment, like switching from black and white to technicolour. With the invention of SNOM these details were no longer restricted by the diffraction limit to a resolution of half the wavelength of the incident light. The principle behind SNOM remains very similar to STM but instead of measuring an electronic current, information is captured from the non-propagating optical near field, where the diffraction limit does not apply. SNOM continues to be an invaluable imaging technique as demonstrated recently by researchers in Spain and Korea, who used it to measure near-infrared-to-visible upconversion and cathodoluminescence emission properties of Ln3+ in nanocrystalline Ln-doped Lu2O3 materials with 1D morphology [8]. Their work holds promise for controlled incorporation of such optically active nanostructures in future photonic structures and applications. The cantilever-probe system provides a number of highly sensitive interactions that can be exploited to extract details of a sample system. The potential offset between the probe and surface manifests itself in a force and this too has been used in KPFM [9]. The finite tip size has a profound effect on the measured image in scanning probe-microscopes in general. In KPFM, as Rosenwaks and colleagues in Israel, US and Germany point out in this issue [10] the influence of the tip and cantilever on measurements is particularly significant because of the long range nature of the electrostatic forces involved. Measurements at any one point provide a weighted average of the contact potential difference of the sample and to obtain a quantitative image this averaging must be taken into account. Rosenwaks and colleagues tackle this challenge in the work reported in this issue, presenting an algorithm for reconstructing a sample surface potential from its KPFM image. Their study also reveals that the averaging effects are far more significant for amplitude modulated KPFM measurements compared with the frequency modulated mode. Rohrer and Binnig shared the Nobel Prize for Physics 'for their design of the scanning tunnelling microscope' [11]. They are widely recognized among the founding fathers of nanoscience. In an interview in 2005 Rohrer once commented on the benefits of changing fields even if it leaves you feeling a little 'lost and lonely' at first. In fact he attributed his ability to contribute his Nobel Prize winning work to science at a comparatively senior age to the fact that he had changed fields. 'You cannot be the star from the beginning, but I think what is important is that you might bring in a different way of thinking. You have a certain lightness to approach something that is the expert opinion' [2]. In nanotechnology where such a formidable range of disciplines seem to feed into the research such words may be particularly encouraging. Rohrer passed away on 16 May 2013, but the awesome legacy of his life's work continues. With the scanning tunnelling microscope the lofty eccentricities of quantum mechanical theory literally came into view, quite an inspiration. References [1] Binning G, Rohrer H, Gerber Ch and Weibel E 1982 Surface studies by scanning tunneling microscopy Phys. Rev. Lett. 49 57-61 [2] Weiss P S 2007 A conversation with Dr. Heinrich Rohrer: STM Co-inventor and one of the founding fathers of nanoscience ACS Nano 1 3-5 [3] Binnig G, Quate C F and Gerber Ch 1986 Atomic force microscope Phys. Rev. Lett. 56 930-3 [4] Maivald P, Butt H J, Gould S A C, Prater C B, Drake B, Gurley J A, Elings V B and Hansma P K 1991 Using force modulation to image surface elasticities with the atomic force microscope Nanotechnology 2 103-6 [5] Ando T 2012 High-speed atomic force microscopy coming of age Nanotechnology 23 062001 [6] Betzig E, Isaacson M, Barshatzky H, Lewis A and Lin K 1988 Super-resolution imaging with near-field scanning optical microscopy (NSOM) Ultramicroscopy 25 155-63 [7] Thio T, Lezec H J, Ebbesen T W, Pellerin K M, Lewen G D, Nahata A and Linke R A 2002 Giant optical transmission of sub-wavelength apertures: physics and applications Nanotechnology 13 429-32 [8] Barrera E W, Pujol M C, Díaz F, Choi S B, Rotermund F, Park K H, Jeong M S and Cascales C 2011 Emission properties of hydrothermal Yb3+, Er3+ and Yb3+, Tm3+-codoped Lu2O3 nanorods: upconversion, cathodoluminescence and assessment of waveguide behaviour Nanotechnology 22 075205 [9] Nonnenmacher M, O'Boyle M P and Wickramasinghe H K 1991 Kelvin probe force microscopy Appl. Phys. Lett. 58 2921-3 [10] Cohen G, Halpern E, Nanayakkara S U, Luther J M, Held C, Bennewitz R, Boag A and Rosenwaks Y 2013 Reconstruction of surface potential from Kelvin probe force microscopy images Nanotechnology 24 295702 [11] 1986 The Nobel Prize in Physics www.nobelprize.org/nobel prizes/physics/laureates/1986/ index.html

Local X-ray magnetic circular dichroism study of Fe/Cu(111) using a tunneling smart tip

DOE PAGES

DiLullo, Andrew; Shirato, Nozomi; Cummings, Marvin; ...

2016-01-28

Localized spectroscopy with simultaneous topographic, elemental and magnetic information is presented. A synchrotron X-ray scanning tunneling microscope has been employed for the local study of the X-ray magnetic circular dichroism at the FeL 2,3-edges of a thin iron film grown on Cu(111). Polarization-dependent X-ray absorption spectra have been obtained through a tunneling smart tip that serves as a photoelectron detector. In contrast to conventional spin-polarized scanning tunneling microscopy, X-ray excitations provide magnetic contrast even with a non-magnetic tip. Intensity variations in the photoexcited tip current point to chemical variations within a single magnetic Fe domain.

Local X-ray magnetic circular dichroism study of Fe/Cu(111) using a tunneling smart tip.

PubMed

DiLullo, Andrew; Shirato, Nozomi; Cummings, Marvin; Kersell, Heath; Chang, Hao; Rosenmann, Daniel; Miller, Dean; Freeland, John W; Hla, Saw-Wai; Rose, Volker

2016-03-01

Localized spectroscopy with simultaneous topographic, elemental and magnetic information is presented. A synchrotron X-ray scanning tunneling microscope has been employed for the local study of the X-ray magnetic circular dichroism at the Fe L2,3-edges of a thin iron film grown on Cu(111). Polarization-dependent X-ray absorption spectra have been obtained through a tunneling smart tip that serves as a photoelectron detector. In contrast to conventional spin-polarized scanning tunneling microscopy, X-ray excitations provide magnetic contrast even with a non-magnetic tip. Intensity variations in the photoexcited tip current point to chemical variations within a single magnetic Fe domain.

Local X-ray magnetic circular dichroism study of Fe/Cu(111) using a tunneling smart tip

PubMed Central

DiLullo, Andrew; Shirato, Nozomi; Cummings, Marvin; Kersell, Heath; Chang, Hao; Rosenmann, Daniel; Miller, Dean; Freeland, John W.; Hla, Saw-Wai; Rose, Volker

2016-01-01

Localized spectroscopy with simultaneous topographic, elemental and magnetic information is presented. A synchrotron X-ray scanning tunneling microscope has been employed for the local study of the X-ray magnetic circular dichroism at the Fe L 2,3-edges of a thin iron film grown on Cu(111). Polarization-dependent X-ray absorption spectra have been obtained through a tunneling smart tip that serves as a photoelectron detector. In contrast to conventional spin-polarized scanning tunneling microscopy, X-ray excitations provide magnetic contrast even with a non-magnetic tip. Intensity variations in the photoexcited tip current point to chemical variations within a single magnetic Fe domain. PMID:26917146

Confined states of individual type-II GaSb/GaAs quantum rings studied by cross-sectional scanning tunneling spectroscopy.

PubMed

Timm, Rainer; Eisele, Holger; Lenz, Andrea; Ivanova, Lena; Vossebürger, Vivien; Warming, Till; Bimberg, Dieter; Farrer, Ian; Ritchie, David A; Dähne, Mario

2010-10-13

Combined cross-sectional scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy results reveal the interplay between the atomic structure of ring-shaped GaSb quantum dots in GaAs and the corresponding electronic properties. Hole confinement energies between 0.2 and 0.3 eV and a type-II conduction band offset of 0.1 eV are directly obtained from the data. Additionally, the hole occupancy of quantum dot states and spatially separated Coulomb-bound electron states are observed in the tunneling spectra.

A low-temperature scanning tunneling microscope capable of microscopy and spectroscopy in a Bitter magnet at up to 34 T.

PubMed

Tao, W; Singh, S; Rossi, L; Gerritsen, J W; Hendriksen, B L M; Khajetoorians, A A; Christianen, P C M; Maan, J C; Zeitler, U; Bryant, B

2017-09-01

We present the design and performance of a cryogenic scanning tunneling microscope (STM) which operates inside a water-cooled Bitter magnet, which can attain a magnetic field of up to 38 T. Due to the high vibration environment generated by the magnet cooling water, a uniquely designed STM and a vibration damping system are required. The STM scan head is designed to be as compact and rigid as possible, to minimize the effect of vibrational noise as well as fit the size constraints of the Bitter magnet. The STM uses a differential screw mechanism for coarse tip-sample approach, and operates in helium exchange gas at cryogenic temperatures. The reliability and performance of the STM are demonstrated through topographic imaging and scanning tunneling spectroscopy on highly oriented pyrolytic graphite at T = 4.2 K and in magnetic fields up to 34 T.

Simultaneously measured signals in scanning probe microscopy with a needle sensor: frequency shift and tunneling current.

PubMed

Morawski, Ireneusz; Voigtländer, Bert

2010-03-01

We present combined noncontact scanning force microscopy and tunneling current images of a platinum(111) surface obtained by means of a 1 MHz quartz needle sensor. The low-frequency circuit of the tunneling current was combined with a high-frequency signal of the quartz resonator enabling full electrical operation of the sensor. The frequency shift and the tunneling current were detected simultaneously, while the feedback control loop of the topography signal was fed using one of them. In both cases, the free signal that was not connected to the feedback loop reveals proportional-integral controller errorlike behavior, which is governed by the time derivative of the topography signal. A procedure is proposed for determining the mechanical oscillation amplitude by utilizing the tunneling current also including the average tip-sample work function.

Laser-assisted electron tunneling in a STM junction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chang, Shunhua Thomas

2000-10-01

Since its introduction in 1981, the Nobel prize-winning scanning tunneling microscope (STM) has been developed into a powerful yet conceptually simple instrument, replacing traditional scanning and transmission electron microscopes (SEM/TEM) in many of the microscopic surface phenomenon studies. The strength of the STM stems from the sensitive tunneling current-potential barrier width relationship of the electron tunneling process, and has been used to re-examine the frequency-mixing and harmonic generation properties of an non-linear metal- oxide-metal (MOM) tunneling junction. In this research, electron-tunneling events under polarized laser radiation at 514.5-nm argon and 10.6-μm carbon dioxide laser wavelengths were investigated. The objective is to understand the underlying interactive mechanisms between the tunneling junction and the external laser excitation. A commercial scanning tunneling microscope head and controller were incorporated into the experimental setup. Operation characteristics and the electrical properties of the STM junction were determined. Tunneling current and distance responses with respect to different laser polarization, modulation frequency, incident power, and tunneling distance were also conducted. From the experimental results it is shown that thermal expansion effect was the dominant source of response for laser modulation frequency up to about 100 kHz, in quantitative agreement with theoretical calculations. Different laser polarizations as the experiments demonstrated did not contribute significantly to the STM response in the investigated frequency range. The electric field induced by the laser beam was calculated to be one to two order of magnitudes lower than the field required to initiate field emission where the tunneling junction I- V curve is most non-linear. Also, the electrical coupling of the incident laser at the STM junction was determined to be non-critical at visible laser wavelength, and the reflected laser energy from the sample re-entering the junction was shown to be weak and did not influence the ongoing electron tunneling process. In conclusion, the thermal expansion of the physical tunneling junction was found to be responsible to the tunneling current modulation in a laser - STM setup for laser modulation frequencies in the lower frequency range.

Studies of Nano-structured Se77Sb23- x Ge x Thin Films Prepared by Physical Vapor Condensation Technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alvi, M. A.

2017-02-01

Bulk Se77Sb23- x Ge x material with x = 4 and 12 was prepared by employing a melt quench technique. Its amorphous as well as glassy nature was confirmed by x-ray diffraction analysis and nonisothermal differential scanning calorimetry measurements. The physical vapor condensation technique was applied to prepare nanostructured thin films of Se77Sb23- x Ge x material. The surface morphology of the films was examined using field-emission scanning electron microscopy, revealing average particle size between 20 nm and 50 nm. Systematic investigation of optical absorption data indicated that the optical transition was indirect in nature. The dark conductivity (dc conductivity) of nano-structured Se77Sb23- x Ge x thin films was also investigated at temperatures from 313 K to 463 K, revealing that it tended to increase with increasing temperature. Analyses of our experimental data also indicate that the conduction is due to thermally supported tunneling of charge carriers in confined states close to the band edges. The calculated values of activation energy agree well with the optical bandgap.

Influence of microstructure on superconductivity in KxFe2−ySe2 and evidence for a new parent phase K2Fe7Se8

PubMed Central

Ding, Xiaxin; Fang, Delong; Wang, Zhenyu; Yang, Huan; Liu, Jianzhong; Deng, Qiang; Ma, Guobin; Meng, Chong; Hu, Yuhui; Wen, Hai-Hu

2013-01-01

The search for new superconducting materials has been spurred on by the discovery of iron-based superconductors whose structure and composition is qualitatively different from the cuprates. The study of one such material, KxFe2−ySe2 with a critical temperature of 32 K, is made more difficult by the fact that it separates into two phases—a dominant antiferromagnetic insulating phase K2Fe4Se5, and a minority superconducting phase whose precise structure is as yet unclear. Here we perform electrical and magnetization measurements, scanning electron microscopy and microanalysis, X-ray diffraction and scanning tunnelling microscopy on KxFe2−ySe2 crystals prepared under different quenching processes to better understand the relationship between its microstructure and its superconducting phase. We identify a three-dimensional network of superconducting filaments within this material and present evidence to suggest that the superconducting phase consists of a single Fe vacancy for every eight Fe-sites arranged in a √8 x √10 parallelogram structure. PMID:23695691

Ptychographic overlap constraint errors and the limits of their numerical recovery using conjugate gradient descent methods.

PubMed

Tripathi, Ashish; McNulty, Ian; Shpyrko, Oleg G

2014-01-27

Ptychographic coherent x-ray diffractive imaging is a form of scanning microscopy that does not require optics to image a sample. A series of scanned coherent diffraction patterns recorded from multiple overlapping illuminated regions on the sample are inverted numerically to retrieve its image. The technique recovers the phase lost by detecting the diffraction patterns by using experimentally known constraints, in this case the measured diffraction intensities and the assumed scan positions on the sample. The spatial resolution of the recovered image of the sample is limited by the angular extent over which the diffraction patterns are recorded and how well these constraints are known. Here, we explore how reconstruction quality degrades with uncertainties in the scan positions. We show experimentally that large errors in the assumed scan positions on the sample can be numerically determined and corrected using conjugate gradient descent methods. We also explore in simulations the limits, based on the signal to noise of the diffraction patterns and amount of overlap between adjacent scan positions, of just how large these errors can be and still be rendered tractable by this method.

A scanning tunneling microscope with a scanning range from hundreds of micrometers down to nanometer resolution.

PubMed

Kalkan, Fatih; Zaum, Christopher; Morgenstern, Karina

2012-10-01

A beetle type stage and a flexure scanning stage are combined to form a two stages scanning tunneling microscope (STM). It operates at room temperature in ultrahigh vacuum and is capable of scanning areas up to 300 μm × 450 μm down to resolution on the nanometer scale. This multi-scale STM has been designed and constructed in order to investigate prestructured metallic or semiconducting micro- and nano-structures in real space from atomic-sized structures up to the large-scale environment. The principle of the instrument is demonstrated on two different systems. Gallium nitride based micropillars demonstrate scan areas up to hundreds of micrometers; a Au(111) surface demonstrates nanometer resolution.

a New Approach for Subway Tunnel Deformation Monitoring: High-Resolution Terrestrial Laser Scanning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, J.; Wan, Y.; Gao, X.

2012-07-01

With the improvement of the accuracy and efficiency of laser scanning technology, high-resolution terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) technology can obtain high precise points-cloud and density distribution and can be applied to high-precision deformation monitoring of subway tunnels and high-speed railway bridges and other fields. In this paper, a new approach using a points-cloud segmentation method based on vectors of neighbor points and surface fitting method based on moving least squares was proposed and applied to subway tunnel deformation monitoring in Tianjin combined with a new high-resolution terrestrial laser scanner (Riegl VZ-400). There were three main procedures. Firstly, a points-cloud consisted of several scanning was registered by linearized iterative least squares approach to improve the accuracy of registration, and several control points were acquired by total stations (TS) and then adjusted. Secondly, the registered points-cloud was resampled and segmented based on vectors of neighbor points to select suitable points. Thirdly, the selected points were used to fit the subway tunnel surface with moving least squares algorithm. Then a series of parallel sections obtained from temporal series of fitting tunnel surfaces were compared to analysis the deformation. Finally, the results of the approach in z direction were compared with the fiber optical displacement sensor approach and the results in x, y directions were compared with TS respectively, and comparison results showed the accuracy errors of x, y, z directions were respectively about 1.5 mm, 2 mm, 1 mm. Therefore the new approach using high-resolution TLS can meet the demand of subway tunnel deformation monitoring.

Vibration compensation for high speed scanning tunneling microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Croft, D.; Devasia, S.

1999-12-01

Low scanning speed is a fundamental limitation of scanning tunneling microscopes (STMs), making real time imaging of surface processes and nanofabrication impractical. The effective scanning bandwidth is currently limited by the smallest resonant vibrational frequency of the piezobased positioning system (i.e., scanner) used in the STM. Due to this limitation, the acquired images are distorted during high speed operations. In practice, the achievable scan rates are much less than 1/10th of the resonant vibrational frequency of the STM scanner. To alleviate the scanning speed limitation, this article describes an inversion-based approach that compensates for the structural vibrations in the scanner and thus, allows STM imaging at high scanning speeds (relative to the smallest resonant vibrational frequency). Experimental results are presented to show the increase in scanning speeds achievable by applying the vibration compensation methods.

Probing defect states in polycrystalline GaN grown on Si(111) by sub-bandgap laser-excited scanning tunneling spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hsiao, F.-M.; Schnedler, M.; Portz, V.; Huang, Y.-C.; Huang, B.-C.; Shih, M.-C.; Chang, C.-W.; Tu, L.-W.; Eisele, H.; Dunin-Borkowski, R. E.; Ebert, Ph.; Chiu, Y.-P.

2017-01-01

We demonstrate the potential of sub-bandgap laser-excited cross-sectional scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy to investigate the presence of defect states in semiconductors. The characterization method is illustrated on GaN layers grown on Si(111) substrates without intentional buffer layers. According to high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and cathodoluminescence spectroscopy, the GaN layers consist of nanoscale wurtzite and zincblende crystallites with varying crystal orientations and hence contain high defect state densities. In order to discriminate between band-to-band excitation and defect state excitations, we use sub-bandgap laser excitation. We probe a clear increase in the tunnel current at positive sample voltages during sub-bandgap laser illumination for the GaN layer with high defect density, but no effect is found for high quality GaN epitaxial layers. This demonstrates the excitation of free charge carriers at defect states. Thus, sub-bandgap laser-excited scanning tunneling spectroscopy is a powerful complimentary characterization tool for defect states.

Force modulation and electrochemical gating of conductance in a cytochrome

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davis, Jason J.; Peters, Ben; Xi, Wang

2008-09-01

Scanning probe methods have been used to measure the effect of electrochemical potential and applied force on the tunnelling conductance of the redox metalloprotein yeast iso-1-cytochrome c (YCC) at a molecular level. The interaction of a proximal probe with any sample under test will, at this scale, be inherently perturbative. This is demonstrated with conductive probe atomic force microscopy (CP-AFM) current-voltage spectroscopy in which YCC, chemically adsorbed onto pristine Au(111) via its surface cysteine residue, is observed to become increasingly compressed as applied load is increased, with concomitant decrease in junction resistance. Electrical contact at minimal perturbation, where probe-molecule coupling is comparable to that in scanning tunnelling microscopy, brings with it the observation of negative differential resistance, assigned to redox-assisted probe-substrate tunnelling. The role of the redox centre in conductance is also resolved in electrochemical scanning tunnelling microscopy assays where molecular conductance is electrochemically gateable through more than an order of magnitude.

Dual tunneling-unit scanning tunneling microscope for length measurement based on crystalline lattice

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhang, H.; Higuchi, T.; Nishioki, N.

1997-01-01

A dual tunneling-unit scanning tunneling microscope (DTU STM) was developed for nm order length measurement with wide scan range. The crystalline lattice of highly oriented pyrolitic graphite (HOPG) was used as reference scale. A reference unit was set up on top of a test unit. The reference sample holder and the probe tip of test unit were attached to one single XY scanner on either surface, while the test sample holder was open. This enables simultaneous acquisition of wide images of HOPG and test sample. The length in test sample image was measured by counting the number of HOPG lattices.more » An inchworm actuator and an impact drive mechanism were introduced to roughly position probe tips. The XY scanner was designed to be elastic to eliminate image distortion. Some comparison experiments using two HOPG chips were carried out in air. The DTU STM is confirmed to be a stable and more powerful device for length measurement which has nanometer accuracy when covering a wide scan range up to several micrometers, and is capable of measuring comparatively large and heavy samples. {copyright} {ital 1997 American Vacuum Society.}« less

A High Rigidity and Precision Scanning Tunneling Microscope with Decoupled XY and Z Scans.

PubMed

Chen, Xu; Guo, Tengfei; Hou, Yubin; Zhang, Jing; Meng, Wenjie; Lu, Qingyou

2017-01-01

A new scan-head structure for the scanning tunneling microscope (STM) is proposed, featuring high scan precision and rigidity. The core structure consists of a piezoelectric tube scanner of quadrant type (for XY scans) coaxially housed in a piezoelectric tube with single inner and outer electrodes (for Z scan). They are fixed at one end (called common end). A hollow tantalum shaft is coaxially housed in the XY -scan tube and they are mutually fixed at both ends. When the XY scanner scans, its free end will bring the shaft to scan and the tip which is coaxially inserted in the shaft at the common end will scan a smaller area if the tip protrudes short enough from the common end. The decoupled XY and Z scans are desired for less image distortion and the mechanically reduced scan range has the superiority of reducing the impact of the background electronic noise on the scanner and enhancing the tip positioning precision. High quality atomic resolution images are also shown.

Simultaneous scanning tunneling microscopy and synchrotron X-ray measurements in a gas environment.

PubMed

Mom, Rik V; Onderwaater, Willem G; Rost, Marcel J; Jankowski, Maciej; Wenzel, Sabine; Jacobse, Leon; Alkemade, Paul F A; Vandalon, Vincent; van Spronsen, Matthijs A; van Weeren, Matthijs; Crama, Bert; van der Tuijn, Peter; Felici, Roberto; Kessels, Wilhelmus M M; Carlà, Francesco; Frenken, Joost W M; Groot, Irene M N

2017-11-01

A combined X-ray and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) instrument is presented that enables the local detection of X-ray absorption on surfaces in a gas environment. To suppress the collection of ion currents generated in the gas phase, coaxially shielded STM tips were used. The conductive outer shield of the coaxial tips can be biased to deflect ions away from the tip core. When tunneling, the X-ray-induced current is separated from the regular, 'topographic' tunneling current using a novel high-speed separation scheme. We demonstrate the capabilities of the instrument by measuring the local X-ray-induced current on Au(1 1 1) in 800 mbar Ar. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Scanning tunneling spectroscopy study of the proximity effect in a disordered two-dimensional metal.

PubMed

Serrier-Garcia, L; Cuevas, J C; Cren, T; Brun, C; Cherkez, V; Debontridder, F; Fokin, D; Bergeret, F S; Roditchev, D

2013-04-12

The proximity effect between a superconductor and a highly diffusive two-dimensional metal is revealed in a scanning tunneling spectroscopy experiment. The in situ elaborated samples consist of superconducting single crystalline Pb islands interconnected by a nonsuperconducting atomically thin disordered Pb wetting layer. In the vicinity of each superconducting island the wetting layer acquires specific tunneling characteristics which reflect the interplay between the proximity-induced superconductivity and the inherent electron correlations of this ultimate diffusive two-dimensional metal. The observed spatial evolution of the tunneling spectra is accounted for theoretically by combining the Usadel equations with the theory of dynamical Coulomb blockade; the relevant length and energy scales are extracted and found in agreement with available experimental data.

Reproducible fabrication and applications of superconducting scanning tunneling microscope tips

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Naaman, Ofer; Teizer, Winfried; Dynes, Robert C.

2001-03-01

We report on a method developed in our lab, for the fabrication of superconducting scanning tunneling microscope (STM) tips in a reproducible fashion. The fabrication process relies on sequential deposition of superconducting Pb and a proximity-coupled Ag capping layer onto a Pt/Ir tip. The tips were characterized by tunneling into both normal-metal and superconducting films, and the results confirm that the tips are superconducting with Tc and Δ close to that of bulk lead. The lead phonon structure in the tunneling density of states was observed, indicating a single step tunneling process. In an attempt to form STM Josephson junctions, we used our tips to form S/I/S junctions with R_NN ~50-100 kΩ. Results from spectroscopic measurements of these junctions at 2.0 K are discussed within the framework of the Ivanchenko and Zil'berman theory (Soviet Physics JETP, vol.28, 1272; 1969) of Josephson tunneling in the presence of strong phase fluctuations.

Tunnel structured manganese oxide nanowires as redox active electrodes for hybrid capacitive deionization

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Byles, Bryan W.; Cullen, David A.; More, Karren Leslie

We report that hybrid capacitive deionization (HCDI), which combines a capacitive carbon electrode and a redox active electrode in a single device, has emerged as a promising method for water desalination, enabling higher ion removal capacity than devices containing two carbon electrodes. However, to date, the desalination performance of few redox active materials has been reported. For the first time, we present the electrochemical behavior of manganese oxide nanowires with four different tunnel crystal structures as faradaic electrodes in HCDI cells. Two of these phases are square tunnel structured manganese oxides, α-MnO 2 and todorokite-MnO 2. The other two phasesmore » have novel structures that cross-sectional scanning transmission electron microscopy analysis revealed to have ordered and disordered combinations of structural tunnels with different dimensions. The ion removal performance of the nanowires was evaluated not only in NaCl solution, which is traditionally used in laboratory experiments, but also in KCl and MgCl 2 solutions, providing better understanding of the behavior of these materials for desalination of brackish water that contains multiple cation species. High ion removal capacities (as large as 27.8 mg g -1, 44.4 mg g -1, and 43.1 mg g -1 in NaCl, KCl, and MgCl 2 solutions, respectively) and high ion removal rates (as large as 0.112 mg g -1 s -1, 0.165 mg g -1 s -1, and 0.164 mg g -1 s -1 in NaCl, KCl, and MgCl 2 solutions, respectively) were achieved. By comparing ion removal capacity to structural tunnel size, it was found that smaller tunnels do not favor the removal of cations with larger hydrated radii, and more efficient removal of larger hydrated cations can be achieved by utilizing manganese oxides with larger structural tunnels. Extended HCDI cycling and ex situ X-ray diffraction analysis revealed the excellent stability of the manganese oxide electrodes in repeated ion removal/ion release cycles, and compositional analysis of the electrodes indicated that ion removal is achieved through both surface redox reactions and intercalation of ions into the structural tunnels. In conclusion, this work contributes to the understanding of the behavior of faradaic materials in electrochemical water desalination and elucidates the relationship between the electrode material crystal structure and the ion removal capacity/ion removal rate in various salt solutions.« less

Tunnel structured manganese oxide nanowires as redox active electrodes for hybrid capacitive deionization

DOE PAGES

Byles, Bryan W.; Cullen, David A.; More, Karren Leslie; ...

2017-12-18

We report that hybrid capacitive deionization (HCDI), which combines a capacitive carbon electrode and a redox active electrode in a single device, has emerged as a promising method for water desalination, enabling higher ion removal capacity than devices containing two carbon electrodes. However, to date, the desalination performance of few redox active materials has been reported. For the first time, we present the electrochemical behavior of manganese oxide nanowires with four different tunnel crystal structures as faradaic electrodes in HCDI cells. Two of these phases are square tunnel structured manganese oxides, α-MnO 2 and todorokite-MnO 2. The other two phasesmore » have novel structures that cross-sectional scanning transmission electron microscopy analysis revealed to have ordered and disordered combinations of structural tunnels with different dimensions. The ion removal performance of the nanowires was evaluated not only in NaCl solution, which is traditionally used in laboratory experiments, but also in KCl and MgCl 2 solutions, providing better understanding of the behavior of these materials for desalination of brackish water that contains multiple cation species. High ion removal capacities (as large as 27.8 mg g -1, 44.4 mg g -1, and 43.1 mg g -1 in NaCl, KCl, and MgCl 2 solutions, respectively) and high ion removal rates (as large as 0.112 mg g -1 s -1, 0.165 mg g -1 s -1, and 0.164 mg g -1 s -1 in NaCl, KCl, and MgCl 2 solutions, respectively) were achieved. By comparing ion removal capacity to structural tunnel size, it was found that smaller tunnels do not favor the removal of cations with larger hydrated radii, and more efficient removal of larger hydrated cations can be achieved by utilizing manganese oxides with larger structural tunnels. Extended HCDI cycling and ex situ X-ray diffraction analysis revealed the excellent stability of the manganese oxide electrodes in repeated ion removal/ion release cycles, and compositional analysis of the electrodes indicated that ion removal is achieved through both surface redox reactions and intercalation of ions into the structural tunnels. In conclusion, this work contributes to the understanding of the behavior of faradaic materials in electrochemical water desalination and elucidates the relationship between the electrode material crystal structure and the ion removal capacity/ion removal rate in various salt solutions.« less

Investigating ultraflexible freestanding graphene by scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Breitwieser, R.; Hu, Yu-Cheng; Chao, Yen Cheng; Tzeng, Yi Ren; Liou, Sz-Chian; Lin, Keng Ching; Chen, Chih Wei; Pai, Woei Wu

2017-08-01

A strictly two-dimensional (2D) material such as freestanding graphene (FSG) is rarely investigated at the atomic scale by scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and scanning tunneling spectroscopy (STS). A basic difficulty in probing FSG by STM and STS is the mechanical instability when a highly compliant 2D atomic layer interacts with a proximal tip. Here we report a detailed method to conduct reliable STM and STS on FSG with atomic precision. We found that FSG is intrinsically rippled and exhibits a nonlinear strain-stress relation under applied normal forces; it shows a very soft region of bending strain and stiffer regions of in-plane tensile strain once the nanoscale ripples of FSG are eliminated. The elimination of the nanoripples can be controlled by tip-induced pulling or pushing force through the so-called closed-loop Z-V STS mode which can monitor the FSG deformation. A key factor for controllable STM and STS measurements is to select tunneling set points to place FSG in metastable configurations, as determined from stress-strain (i.e., Z-V) response. Atomic imaging and electronic states thus measured must be interpreted by considering the dynamical deformation of FSG as tunneling parameters, and therefore tip-FSG forces, are varied.

Plasma etching of superconducting Niobium tips for scanning tunneling microscopy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Roychowdhury, A.; Center for Nanophysics and Advanced Materials, Department of Physics, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742; Dana, R.

We have developed a reproducible technique for the fabrication of sharp superconducting Nb tips for scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and scanning tunneling spectroscopy. Sections of Nb wire with 250 μm diameter are dry etched in an SF₆ plasma in a Reactive Ion Etcher. The gas pressure, etching time, and applied power are chosen to control the ratio of isotropic to anisotropic etch rates and produce the desired tip shape. The resulting tips are atomically sharp, with radii of less than 100 nm, mechanically stable, and superconducting. They generate good STM images and spectroscopy on single crystal samples of Au(111), Au(100),more » and Nb(100), as well as a doped topological insulator Bi₂Se₃ at temperatures ranging from 30 mK to 9 K.« less

Creation of stable molecular junctions with a custom-designed scanning tunneling microscope.

PubMed

Lee, Woochul; Reddy, Pramod

2011-12-02

The scanning tunneling microscope break junction (STMBJ) technique is a powerful approach for creating single-molecule junctions and studying electrical transport in them. However, junctions created using the STMBJ technique are usually mechanically stable for relatively short times (<1 s), impeding detailed studies of their charge transport characteristics. Here, we report a custom-designed scanning tunneling microscope that enables the creation of metal-single molecule-metal junctions that are mechanically stable for more than 1 minute at room temperature. This stability is achieved by a design that minimizes thermal drift as well as the effect of environmental perturbations. The utility of this instrument is demonstrated by performing transition voltage spectroscopy-at the single-molecule level-on Au-hexanedithiol-Au, Au-octanedithiol-Au and Au-decanedithiol-Au junctions.

Isolated molecular dopants in pentacene observed by scanning tunneling microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ha, Sieu D.; Kahn, Antoine

2009-11-01

Doping is essential to the control of electronic structure and conductivity of semiconductor materials. Whereas doping of inorganic semiconductors is well established, doping of organic molecular semiconductors is still relatively poorly understood. Using scanning tunneling microscopy, we investigate, at the molecular scale, surface and subsurface tetrafluoro-tetracyanoquinodimethane p -dopants in the prototypical molecular semiconductor pentacene. Surface dopants diffuse to pentacene vacancies and appear as negatively charged centers, consistent with the standard picture of an ionized acceptor. Subsurface dopants, however, have the effect of a positive charge, evidence that the donated hole is localized by the parent acceptor counterion, in contrast to the model of doping in inorganic semiconductors. Scanning tunneling spectroscopy shows that the electron potential energy is locally lowered near a subsurface dopant feature, in agreement with the localized hole model.

Symmetry-Breaking Phase Transition without a Peierls Instability in Conducting Monoatomic Chains

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blumenstein, C.; Schäfer, J.; Morresi, M.; Mietke, S.; Matzdorf, R.; Claessen, R.

2011-10-01

The one-dimensional (1D) model system Au/Ge(001), consisting of linear chains of single atoms on a surface, is scrutinized for lattice instabilities predicted in the Peierls paradigm. By scanning tunneling microscopy and electron diffraction we reveal a second-order phase transition at 585 K. It leads to charge ordering with transversal and vertical displacements and complex interchain correlations. However, the structural phase transition is not accompanied by the electronic signatures of a charge density wave, thus precluding a Peierls instability as origin. Instead, this symmetry-breaking transition exhibits three-dimensional critical behavior. This reflects a dichotomy between the decoupled 1D electron system and the structural elements that interact via the substrate. Such substrate-mediated coupling between the wires thus appears to have been underestimated also in related chain systems.

Structure and Growth of Hexagonal Boron Nitride on Ir(111).

PubMed

Farwick Zum Hagen, Ferdinand H; Zimmermann, Domenik M; Silva, Caio C; Schlueter, Christoph; Atodiresei, Nicolae; Jolie, Wouter; Martínez-Galera, Antonio J; Dombrowski, Daniela; Schröder, Ulrike A; Will, Moritz; Lazić, Predrag; Caciuc, Vasile; Blügel, Stefan; Lee, Tien-Lin; Michely, Thomas; Busse, Carsten

2016-12-27

Using the X-ray standing wave method, scanning tunneling microscopy, low energy electron diffraction, and density functional theory, we precisely determine the lateral and vertical structure of hexagonal boron nitride on Ir(111). The moiré superstructure leads to a periodic arrangement of strongly chemisorbed valleys in an otherwise rather flat, weakly physisorbed plane. The best commensurate approximation of the moiré unit cell is (12 × 12) boron nitride cells resting on (11 × 11) substrate cells, which is at variance with several earlier studies. We uncover the existence of two fundamentally different mechanisms of layer formation for hexagonal boron nitride, namely, nucleation and growth as opposed to network formation without nucleation. The different pathways are linked to different distributions of rotational domains, and the latter enables selection of a single orientation only.

Monolayer-by-monolayer compositional analysis of InAs/InAsSb superlattices with cross-sectional STM

DOE PAGES

Wood, M. R.; Kanedy, K.; Lopez, F.; ...

2015-02-23

In this paper, we use cross-sectional scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) to reconstruct the monolayer-by-monolayer composition profile across a representative subset of MBE-grown InAs/InAsSb superlattice layers and find that antimony segregation frustrates the intended compositional discontinuities across both antimonide-on-arsenide and arsenide-on-antimonide heterojunctions. Graded, rather than abrupt, interfaces are formed in either case. We likewise find that the incorporated antimony per superlattice period varies measurably from beginning to end of the multilayer stack. Finally, although the intended antimony discontinuities predict significant discrepancies with respect to the experimentally observed high-resolution x-ray diffraction spectrum, dynamical simulations based on the STM-derived profiles provide an excellentmore » quantitative match to all important aspects of the x-ray data.« less

Spatially resolved vacuum tunneling spectroscopy on Bi 2Sr 2CaCu 2O 8 by STM at 4.8K

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Renner, Ch.; Fischer, Ø.; Kent, A. D.; Mitzi, D. B.; Kapitulnik, A.

1994-02-01

We report scanning tunneling spectroscopy investigations on in-situ cleaved superconducting Bi 2Sr 2CaCu 2O 8 single crystals. Although many investigators report reproducible tunneling studies on high temperature superconductors, there nevertheless remains uncertainties about the correct intrinsic shape of the tunneling spectra. We have been able to obtain higly reproducible spectra while scanning single crystal surfaces in many different areas and taking a spectra every 5Å along lines of several hundred Ångstroms. Furthermore, we show that the spectra are independent of modifacations of the barrier obtained by changing the tip/sample distance. The experimental density of states clearly shows some filling of the gap which does not fit with a BCS-like s-wave prediction, even if some scattering in the tunneling process is accounted for.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

DiLullo, Andrew; Shirato, Nozomi; Cummings, Marvin

Localized spectroscopy with simultaneous topographic, elemental and magnetic information is presented. A synchrotron X-ray scanning tunneling microscope has been employed for the local study of the X-ray magnetic circular dichroism at the FeL 2,3-edges of a thin iron film grown on Cu(111). Polarization-dependent X-ray absorption spectra have been obtained through a tunneling smart tip that serves as a photoelectron detector. In contrast to conventional spin-polarized scanning tunneling microscopy, X-ray excitations provide magnetic contrast even with a non-magnetic tip. Intensity variations in the photoexcited tip current point to chemical variations within a single magnetic Fe domain.

Electrochemical etching technique of platinum-iridium tips for scanning tunneling microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Herrera, Oscar

The scanning tunneling microscope (STM) allows researchers to investigate atomic and molecular structures and properties of nanomaterials. Through the quantum tunneling effect a charge is transferred between the surface of the material and a Platinum-Iridium (Pt-Ir) tip. The production of Pt-Ir tips by electrochemical etching (ECE) has been developed as an alternative technique, to achieve enhanced scanned images of samples, in contrast to the standard mechanical method (SMM). The sharpness apex structure is an essential feature during scanning in order to provide reliable data. We generated a control group of tips by the SMM technique and another group by the ECE technique to investigate the resolution effectiveness in scanning of graphite. The etching of the tips was produced using an auto-variable transformer running a 30 V AC in a 1.5 and 4.0 M CaCl2 solution. The scanning of the graphite surface was conducted at 7x7 nm image width, 0.2 seconds time/line, 256 points/line and 0.05 V for tip voltage. ECE etched tips displayed consistent image resolution, and the sharpness of the tip apex was generally uniform.

Combined frequency modulated atomic force microscopy and scanning tunneling microscopy detection for multi-tip scanning probe microscopy applications

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Morawski, Ireneusz; Institute of Experimental Physics, University of Wrocław, pl. M. Borna 9, 50-204 Wrocław; Spiegelberg, Richard

A method which allows scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) tip biasing independent of the sample bias during frequency modulated atomic force microscopy (AFM) operation is presented. The AFM sensor is supplied by an electronic circuit combining both a frequency shift signal and a tunneling current signal by means of an inductive coupling. This solution enables a control of the tip potential independent of the sample potential. Individual tip biasing is specifically important in order to implement multi-tip STM/AFM applications. An extensional quartz sensor (needle sensor) with a conductive tip is applied to record simultaneously topography and conductivity of the sample. Themore » high resonance frequency of the needle sensor (1 MHz) allows scanning of a large area of the surface being investigated in a reasonably short time. A recipe for the amplitude calibration which is based only on the frequency shift signal and does not require the tip being in contact is presented. Additionally, we show spectral measurements of the mechanical vibration noise of the scanning system used in the investigations.« less

Design and calibration of a vacuum compatible scanning tunneling microscope

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Abel, Phillip B.

1990-01-01

A vacuum compatible scanning tunneling microscope was designed and built, capable of imaging solid surfaces with atomic resolution. The single piezoelectric tube design is compact, and makes use of sample mounting stubs standard to a commercially available surface analysis system. Image collection and display is computer controlled, allowing storage of images for further analysis. Calibration results from atomic scale images are presented.

The study of electrical conductivity of DNA molecules by scanning tunneling spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharipov, T. I.; Bakhtizin, R. Z.

2017-10-01

An interest to the processes of charge transport in DNA molecules is very high, due to perspective of their using in nanoelectronics. The original sample preparation for studying electrical conductivity of DNA molecules by scanning tunneling spectroscopy has been proposed and tested. The DNA molecules immobilized on gold surface have been imaged clearly and their current-voltage curves have been measured.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ledina, M. A.; Bui, N.; Liang, X.

Germanene is a single layer allotrope of Ge, with a honeycomb structure similar to graphene. This report concerns the electrochemical formation of germanene in a pH 4.5 solution. The studies were performed using in situ Electrochemical Scanning Tunneling Microscopy (EC-STM), voltammetry, coulometry, surface X-ray diffraction (SXRD) and Raman spectroscopy to study germanene electrodeposition on Au(111) terraces. The deposition of Ge is kinetically slow and stops after 2–3 monolayers. EC-STM revealed a honeycomb (HC) structure with a rhombic unit cell, 0.44 ± 0.02 nm on a side, very close to that predicted for germanene in the literature. Ideally the HC structuremore » is a continuous sheet, with six Ge atoms around each hole. However, only small domains, surrounded by defects, of this structure were observed in this study. The small coherence length and multiple rotations domains made direct observation with surface X-ray diffraction difficult. Raman spectroscopy was used to investigate the multi-layer Ge deposits. A peak near 290 cm -1, predicted to correspond to germanene, was observed on one particular area of the sample, while the rest resembled amorphous germanium. Electrochemical studies of germanene showed limited stability when exposed to oxygen.« less

Electrochemical Formation of Germanene: pH 4.5

DOE PAGES

Ledina, M. A.; Bui, N.; Liang, X.; ...

2017-05-27

Germanene is a single layer allotrope of Ge, with a honeycomb structure similar to graphene. This report concerns the electrochemical formation of germanene in a pH 4.5 solution. The studies were performed using in situ Electrochemical Scanning Tunneling Microscopy (EC-STM), voltammetry, coulometry, surface X-ray diffraction (SXRD) and Raman spectroscopy to study germanene electrodeposition on Au(111) terraces. The deposition of Ge is kinetically slow and stops after 2–3 monolayers. EC-STM revealed a honeycomb (HC) structure with a rhombic unit cell, 0.44 ± 0.02 nm on a side, very close to that predicted for germanene in the literature. Ideally the HC structuremore » is a continuous sheet, with six Ge atoms around each hole. However, only small domains, surrounded by defects, of this structure were observed in this study. The small coherence length and multiple rotations domains made direct observation with surface X-ray diffraction difficult. Raman spectroscopy was used to investigate the multi-layer Ge deposits. A peak near 290 cm -1, predicted to correspond to germanene, was observed on one particular area of the sample, while the rest resembled amorphous germanium. Electrochemical studies of germanene showed limited stability when exposed to oxygen.« less

A combined scanning tunnelling microscope and x-ray interferometer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yacoot, Andrew; Kuetgens, Ulrich; Koenders, Ludger; Weimann, Thomas

2001-10-01

A monolithic x-ray interferometer made from silicon and a scanning tunnelling microscope have been combined and used to calibrate grating structures with periodicities of 100 nm or less. The x-ray interferometer is used as a translation stage which moves in discrete steps of 0.192 nm, the lattice spacing of the silicon (220) planes. Hence, movements are traceable to the definition of the metre and the nonlinearity associated with the optical interferometers used to measure displacement in more conventional metrological scanning probe microscopes (MSPMs) removed.

Scanning tunneling microscopy studies of diamond films and optoelectronic materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Perez, Jose M.

1993-01-01

In this report, we report on progress achieved from 12/1/92 to 10/1/93 under the grant entitled 'Scanning Tunneling Microscopy Studies of Diamond Films and Optoelectronic Materials'. We have set-up a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) diamond film growth system and a Raman spectroscopy system to study the nucleation and growth of diamond films with atomic resolution using scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). A unique feature of the diamond film growth system is that diamond films can be transferred directly to the ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) chamber of a scanning tunneling microscope without contaminating the films by exposure to air. The University of North Texas (UNT) provided $20,000 this year as matching funds for the NASA grant to purchase the diamond growth system. In addition, UNT provided a Coherent Innova 90S Argon ion laser, a Spex 1404 double spectrometer, and a Newport optical table costing $90,000 to set-up the Raman spectroscopy system. The CVD diamond growth system and Raman spectroscopy system will be used to grow and characterize diamond films with atomic resolution using STM as described in our proposal. One full-time graduate student and one full-time undergraduate student are supported under this grant. In addition, several graduate and undergraduate students were supported during the summer to assist in setting-up the diamond growth and Raman spectroscopy systems. We have obtained research results concerning STM of the structural and electronic properties of CVD grown diamond films, and STM and scanning tunneling spectroscopy of carbon nanotubes. In collaboration with the transmission electron microscopy (TEM) group at UNT, we have also obtained results concerning the optoelectronic material siloxene. These results were published in refereed scientific journals, submitted for publication, and presented as invited and contributed talks at scientific conferences.

Large MOEMS diffraction grating results providing an EC-QCL wavelength scan of 20%

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grahmann, Jan; Merten, André; Herrmann, Andreas; Ostendorf, Ralf; Bleh, Daniela; Drabe, Christian; Kamenz, Jörg

2015-02-01

Experimental results of a large scanning grating with a diameter of 5mm and 1 kHz scan frequency are discussed. An optical diffraction grating is fabricated on a mirror single crystal silicon plate to scan the first diffraction order in the MIR-wavelength range over a quantum cascade laser facet. Special emphasis is on the development of the grating technology module to integrate it with high accuracy and reproducibility into the IPMS AME75 process flow. The principle EC-QCL setup with the scanning grating is described and first measurement results concerning laser output power and tuning range are presented.

Electron and Cooper-pair transport across a single magnetic molecule explored with a scanning tunneling microscope

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brand, J.; Gozdzik, S.; Néel, N.; Lado, J. L.; Fernández-Rossier, J.; Kröger, J.

2018-05-01

A scanning tunneling microscope is used to explore the evolution of electron and Cooper-pair transport across single Mn-phthalocyanine molecules adsorbed on Pb(111) from tunneling to contact ranges. Normal-metal as well as superconducting tips give rise to a gradual transition of the Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer energy gap in the tunneling range into a zero-energy resonance close to and at contact. Supporting transport calculations show that in the normal-metal-superconductor junctions this resonance reflects the merging of in-gap Yu-Shiba-Rusinov states as well as the onset of Andreev reflection. For the superconductor-superconductor contacts, the zero-energy resonance is rationalized in terms of a finite Josephson current that is carried by phase-dependent Andreev and Yu-Shiba-Rusinov levels.

Investigation of local tunneling current noise spectra on the silicon crystal surfaces by means of STM/STS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mantsevich, V. N., E-mail: vmantsev@spmlab.phys.msu.su; Maslova, N. S.; Cao, G. Y.

We report on a careful analysis of the local tunneling conductivity by means of ultra-high vacuum scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy (STM/STS) technique in the vicinity of low-dimensional structures on the Si(111)–(7 × 7) and Si(110)–(16 × 2) surfaces. The power-law exponent α of low-frequency tunneling current noise spectra is investigated for different values of the tunneling contact parameters: relaxation rates, the localized state coupling, and the tunneling barrier width and height.

Investigation of local tunneling current noise spectra on the silicon crystal surfaces by means of STM/STS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mantsevich, V. N.; Maslova, N. S.; Cao, G. Y.

2015-08-01

We report on a careful analysis of the local tunneling conductivity by means of ultra-high vacuum scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy (STM/STS) technique in the vicinity of low-dimensional structures on the Si(111)-(7 × 7) and Si(110)-(16 × 2) surfaces. The power-law exponent α of low-frequency tunneling current noise spectra is investigated for different values of the tunneling contact parameters: relaxation rates, the localized state coupling, and the tunneling barrier width and height.

Process dependent morphology of the Si/SiO2 interface measured with scanning tunneling microscopy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hecht, Michael H.; Bell, L. D.; Grunthaner, F. J.; Kaiser, W. J.

1988-01-01

A new experimental technique to determine Si/SiO2 interface morphology is described. Thermal oxides of silicon are chemically removed, and the resulting surface topography is measured with scanning tunneling microscopy. Interfaces prepared by oxidation of Si (100) and (111) surfaces, followed by postoxidation anneal (POA) at different temperatures, have been characterized. Correlations between interface structure, chemistry, and electrical characteristics are described.

Fabrication of magnetic tunnel junctions with a single-crystalline LiF tunnel barrier

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krishna Narayananellore, Sai; Doko, Naoki; Matsuo, Norihiro; Saito, Hidekazu; Yuasa, Shinji

2018-04-01

We fabricated Fe/LiF/Fe magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs) by molecular beam epitaxy on a MgO(001) substrate, where LiF is an insulating tunnel barrier with the same crystal structure as MgO (rock-salt type). Crystallographical studies such as transmission electron microscopy and nanobeam electron diffraction observations revealed that the LiF tunnel barrier is single-crystalline and has a LiF(001)[100] ∥ bottom Fe(001)[110] crystal orientation, which is constructed in the same manner as MgO(001) on Fe(001). Also, the in-plane lattice mismatch between the LiF tunnel barrier and the Fe bottom electrode was estimated to be small (about 0.5%). Despite such advantages for the tunnel barrier of the MTJ, the observed tunnel magnetoresistance (MR) ratio was low (˜6% at 20 K) and showed a significant decrease with increasing temperature (˜1% at room temperature). The results imply that indirect tunneling and/or thermally excited carriers in the LiF tunnel barrier, in which the current basically is not spin-polarized, play a major role in electrical transport in the MTJ.

A High Rigidity and Precision Scanning Tunneling Microscope with Decoupled XY and Z Scans

PubMed Central

Chen, Xu; Guo, Tengfei; Hou, Yubin; Zhang, Jing

2017-01-01

A new scan-head structure for the scanning tunneling microscope (STM) is proposed, featuring high scan precision and rigidity. The core structure consists of a piezoelectric tube scanner of quadrant type (for XY scans) coaxially housed in a piezoelectric tube with single inner and outer electrodes (for Z scan). They are fixed at one end (called common end). A hollow tantalum shaft is coaxially housed in the XY-scan tube and they are mutually fixed at both ends. When the XY scanner scans, its free end will bring the shaft to scan and the tip which is coaxially inserted in the shaft at the common end will scan a smaller area if the tip protrudes short enough from the common end. The decoupled XY and Z scans are desired for less image distortion and the mechanically reduced scan range has the superiority of reducing the impact of the background electronic noise on the scanner and enhancing the tip positioning precision. High quality atomic resolution images are also shown. PMID:29270242

Manipulation of subsurface carbon nanoparticles in Bi 2 Sr 2 CaCu 2 O 8 + δ using a scanning tunneling microscope

DOE PAGES

Stollenwerk, A. J.; Hurley, N.; Beck, B.; ...

2015-03-19

In this study, we present evidence that subsurface carbon nanoparticles in Bi₂Sr₂CaCu₂O 8+δ can be manipulated with nanometer precision using a scanning tunneling microscope. High resolution images indicate that most of the carbon particles remain subsurface after transport observable as a local increase in height as the particle pushes up on the surface. Tunneling spectra in the vicinity of these protrusions exhibit semiconducting characteristics with a band gap of approximately 1.8 eV, indicating that the incorporation of carbon locally alters the electronic properties near the surface.

Controlling molecular condensation/diffusion of copper phthalocyanine by local electric field induced with scanning tunneling microscope tip

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nagaoka, Katsumi; Yaginuma, Shin; Nakayama, Tomonobu

2018-02-01

We have discovered the condensation/diffusion phenomena of copper phthalocyanine (CuPc) molecules controlled with a pulsed electric field induced by the scanning tunneling microscope tip. This behavior is not explained by the conventional induced dipole model. In order to understand the mechanism, we have measured the electronic structure of the molecule by tunneling spectroscopy and also performed theoretical calculations on molecular orbitals. These data clearly indicate that the molecule is positively charged owing to charge transfer to the substrate, and that hydrogen bonding exists between CuPc molecules, which makes the molecular island stable.

Quantitative impedance characterization of sub-10 nm scale capacitors and tunnel junctions with an interferometric scanning microwave microscope.

PubMed

Wang, Fei; Clément, Nicolas; Ducatteau, Damien; Troadec, David; Tanbakuchi, Hassan; Legrand, Bernard; Dambrine, Gilles; Théron, Didier

2014-10-10

We present a method to characterize sub-10 nm capacitors and tunnel junctions by interferometric scanning microwave microscopy (iSMM) at 7.8 GHz. At such device scaling, the small water meniscus surrounding the iSMM tip should be reduced by proper tip tuning. Quantitative impedance characterization of attofarad range capacitors is achieved using an 'on-chip' calibration kit facing thousands of nanodevices. Nanoscale capacitors and tunnel barriers were detected through variations in the amplitude and phase of the reflected microwave signal, respectively. This study promises quantitative impedance characterization of a wide range of emerging functional nanoscale devices.

Molecular tips for scanning tunneling microscopy: intermolecular electron tunneling for single-molecule recognition and electronics.

PubMed

Nishino, Tomoaki

2014-01-01

This paper reviews the development of molecular tips for scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). Molecular tips offer many advantages: first is their ability to perform chemically selective imaging because of chemical interactions between the sample and the molecular tip, thus improving a major drawback of conventional STM. Rational design of the molecular tip allows sophisticated chemical recognition; e.g., chiral recognition and selective visualization of atomic defects in carbon nanotubes. Another advantage is that they provide a unique method to quantify electron transfer between single molecules. Understanding such electron transfer is mandatory for the realization of molecular electronics.

Scanning tunneling microscopy current from localized basis orbital density functional theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gustafsson, Alexander; Paulsson, Magnus

2016-03-01

We present a method capable of calculating elastic scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) currents from localized atomic orbital density functional theory (DFT). To overcome the poor accuracy of the localized orbital description of the wave functions far away from the atoms, we propagate the wave functions, using the total DFT potential. From the propagated wave functions, the Bardeen's perturbative approach provides the tunneling current. To illustrate the method we investigate carbon monoxide adsorbed on a Cu(111) surface and recover the depression/protrusion observed experimentally with normal/CO-functionalized STM tips. The theory furthermore allows us to discuss the significance of s - and p -wave tips.

Probing the Inelastic Interactions in Molecular Junctions by Scanning Tunneling Microscope

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Chen

With a sub-Kelvin scanning tunneling microscope, the energy resolution of spectroscopy is improved dramatically. Detailed studies of finer features of spectrum become possible. The asymmetry in the line shape of carbon monoxide vibrational spectra is observed to correlate with the couplings of the molecule to the tip and substrates. The spin-vibronic coupling in the molecular junctions is revisited with two metal phthalocyanine molecules, unveiling sharp spin-vibronic peaks. Finally, thanks to the improved spectrum resolution, the bonding structure of the acyclic compounds molecules is surveyed with STM inelastic tunneling probe, expanding the capability of the innovative high resolution imaging technique.

Scanning tunneling microscopy of atomically precise graphene nanoribbons exfoliated onto H:Si(100)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Radocea, Adrian; Mehdi Pour, Mohammad; Vo, Timothy; Shekhirev, Mikhail; Sinitskii, Alexander; Lyding, Joseph

Atomically precise graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) are promising materials for next generation transistors due to their well-controlled bandgaps and the high thermal conductivity of graphene. The solution synthesis of graphene nanoribbons offers a pathway towards scalable manufacturing. While scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) can access size scales required for characterization, solvent residue increases experimental difficulty and precludes band-gap determination via scanning tunneling spectroscopy (STS). Our work addresses this challenge through a dry contact transfer method that cleanly transfers solution-synthesized GNRs onto H:Si(100) under UHV using a fiberglass applicator. The semiconducting silicon surface avoids problems with image charge screening enabling intrinsic bandgap measurements. We characterize the nanoribbons using STM and STS. For chevron GNRs, we find a 1.6 eV bandgap, in agreement with computational modeling, and map the electronic structure spatially with detailed spectra lines and current imaging tunneling spectroscopy. Mapping the electronic structure of graphene nanoribbons is an important step towards taking advantage of the ability to form atomically precise nanoribbons and finely tune their properties.

Experimental study on acoustic subwavelength imaging of holey-structured metamaterials by resonant tunneling.

PubMed

Su, Haijing; Zhou, Xiaoming; Xu, Xianchen; Hu, Gengkai

2014-04-01

A holey-structured metamaterial is proposed for near-field acoustic imaging beyond the diffraction limit. The structured lens consists of a rigid slab perforated with an array of cylindrical holes with periodically modulated diameters. Based on the effective medium approach, the structured lens is characterized by multilayered metamaterials with anisotropic dynamic mass, and an analytic model is proposed to evaluate the transmission properties of incident evanescent waves. The condition is derived for the resonant tunneling, by which evanescent waves can completely transmit through the structured lens without decaying. As an advantage of the proposed lens, the imaging frequency can be modified by the diameter modulation of internal holes without the change of the lens thickness in contrast to the lens due to the Fabry-Pérot resonant mechanism. In this experiment, the lens is assembled by aluminum plates drilled with cylindrical holes. The imaging experiment demonstrates that the designed lens can clearly distinguish two sources separated in the distance below the diffraction limit at the tunneling frequency.

Thermal, Structural, AC Conductivity, and Dielectric Properties of Ethyl-2-amino-6-ethyl-5-oxo-4-(3-phenoxyphenyl)-5,6-dihydro-4H-pyrano[3,2-c]quinoline-3-carboxylate Thin Films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

El-Shabaan, M. M.

2018-05-01

Thermal, structural, alternating-current (AC) conductivity (σ AC), and dielectric properties of ethyl-2-amino-6-ethyl-5-oxo-4-(3-phenoxyphenyl)-5,6-dihydro-4H-pyrano[3,2-c]quinoline-3-carboxylate (HPQC) thin films have been studied. Thermogravimetry analysis and differential scanning calorimetry confirmed the thermal stability of HPQC over a wide temperature range. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and x-ray diffraction analysis were carried out on HPQC in powder form and as-deposited thin film. The crystal system and space group type were determined for HPQC in powder form. The AC conductivity and dielectric properties were determined in the frequency range from 0.5 kHz to 5 MHz and temperature range from 296 K to 443 K. The AC electrical conduction of HPQC thin film was found to be governed by the small-polaron tunneling mechanism. The polaron hopping energy (W H), tunneling distance (R), and density of states (N) near the Fermi level were determined as functions of temperature and frequency. The dielectric properties of HPQC thin film were studied by analysis of Nyquist diagrams, the dissipation factor (tan δ), and real (ɛ') and imaginary (ɛ″) parts of the dielectric constant.

Single-layer ZnS supported on Au(111): A combined XPS, LEED, STM and DFT study

DOE PAGES

Deng, Xingyi; Sorescu, Dan C.; Lee, Junseok

2016-12-31

Single-layer of ZnS, consisting of one atomic layer of ZnS(111) plane, has been grown on Au(111) and characterized using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), low energy electron diffraction (LEED) and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). While the LEED measurement indicates a coincidence structure of ZnS-(3×3)/Au(111)-(4×4), high resolution STM images reveal hexagonal unit cells of 6.7×6.7 Å 2 and 11.6×11.6 Å 2, corresponding to √3 and 3 times the unit cell of the ideal zincblende ZnS-(1×1), respectively, depending on the tunneling conditions. Calculations based on density functional theory (DFT) indicate a significantly reconstructed non-planar structure of ZnS single-layer on Au(111) with 2/3 ofmore » the S anions being located nearly in the plane of the Zn cations and the rest 1/3 of the S anions protruding above the Zn plane. In conclusion, the calculated STM image shows similar characteristics to those of the experimental STM image. Additionally, the DFT calculations reveal the different bonding nature of the S anions in ZnS single-layer supported on Au(111).« less

Topography and transport properties of oligo(phenylene ethynylene) molecular wires studied by scanning tunneling microscopy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dholakia, Geetha R.; Fan, Wendy; Koehne, Jessica; Han, Jie; Meyyappan, M.

2003-01-01

Conjugated phenylene(ethynylene) molecular wires are of interest as potential candidates for molecular electronic devices. Scanning tunneling microscopic study of the topography and current-voltage (I-V) characteristics of self-assembled monolayers of two types of molecular wires are presented here. The study shows that the topography and I-Vs, for small scan voltages, of the two wires are quite similar and that the electronic and structural changes introduced by the substitution of an electronegative N atom in the central phenyl ring of these wires does not significantly alter the self-assembly or the transport properties.

Visualization of Nanoplasmonic Coupling to Molecular Orbital in Light Emission Induced by Tunneling Electrons.

PubMed

Yu, Arthur; Li, Shaowei; Wang, Hui; Chen, Siyu; Wu, Ruqian; Ho, W

2018-05-09

The coupling between localized plasmon and molecular orbital in the light emission from a metallic nanocavity has been directly detected and imaged with sub-0.1 nm resolution. The light emission intensity was enhanced when the energy difference between the tunneling electrons and the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) of an azulene molecule matches the energy of a plasmon mode of the nanocavity defined by the Ag-tip and Ag (110) substrate of a scanning tunneling microscope (STM). The spatially resolved image of the light emission intensity matches the spatial distribution of the LUMO obtained by scanning tunneling spectroscopy (STS) and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Our results highlight the near-field coupling of a molecular orbital to the radiative decay of a plasmonic excitation in a confined nanoscale junction.

Railway Tunnel Clearance Inspection Method Based on 3D Point Cloud from Mobile Laser Scanning

PubMed Central

Zhou, Yuhui; Wang, Shaohua; Mei, Xi; Yin, Wangling; Lin, Chunfeng; Mao, Qingzhou

2017-01-01

Railway tunnel clearance is directly related to the safe operation of trains and upgrading of freight capacity. As more and more railway are put into operation and the operation is continuously becoming faster, the railway tunnel clearance inspection should be more precise and efficient. In view of the problems existing in traditional tunnel clearance inspection methods, such as low density, slow speed and a lot of manual operations, this paper proposes a tunnel clearance inspection approach based on 3D point clouds obtained by a mobile laser scanning system (MLS). First, a dynamic coordinate system for railway tunnel clearance inspection has been proposed. A rail line extraction algorithm based on 3D linear fitting is implemented from the segmented point cloud to establish a dynamic clearance coordinate system. Second, a method to seamlessly connect all rail segments based on the railway clearance restrictions, and a seamless rail alignment is formed sequentially from the middle tunnel section to both ends. Finally, based on the rail alignment and the track clearance coordinate system, different types of clearance frames are introduced for intrusion operation with the tunnel section to realize the tunnel clearance inspection. By taking the Shuanghekou Tunnel of the Chengdu–Kunming Railway as an example, when the clearance inspection is carried out by the method mentioned herein, its precision can reach 0.03 m, and difference types of clearances can be effectively calculated. This method has a wide application prospects. PMID:28880232

Size dependence in tunneling spectra of PbSe quantum-dot arrays.

PubMed

Ou, Y C; Cheng, S F; Jian, W B

2009-07-15

Interdot Coulomb interactions and collective Coulomb blockade were theoretically argued to be a newly important topic, and experimentally identified in semiconductor quantum dots, formed in the gate confined two-dimensional electron gas system. Developments of cluster science and colloidal synthesis accelerated the studies of electron transport in colloidal nanocrystal or quantum-dot solids. To study the interdot coupling, various sizes of two-dimensional arrays of colloidal PbSe quantum dots are self-assembled on flat gold surfaces for scanning tunneling microscopy and scanning tunneling spectroscopy measurements at both room and liquid-nitrogen temperatures. The tip-to-array, array-to-substrate, and interdot capacitances are evaluated and the tunneling spectra of quantum-dot arrays are analyzed by the theory of collective Coulomb blockade. The current-voltage of PbSe quantum-dot arrays conforms properly to a scaling power law function. In this study, the dependence of tunneling spectra on the sizes (numbers of quantum dots) of arrays is reported and the capacitive coupling between quantum dots in the arrays is explored.

Size-dependent energy levels of InSb quantum dots measured by scanning tunneling spectroscopy.

PubMed

Wang, Tuo; Vaxenburg, Roman; Liu, Wenyong; Rupich, Sara M; Lifshitz, Efrat; Efros, Alexander L; Talapin, Dmitri V; Sibener, S J

2015-01-27

The electronic structure of single InSb quantum dots (QDs) with diameters between 3 and 7 nm was investigated using atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning tunneling spectroscopy (STS). In this size regime, InSb QDs show strong quantum confinement effects which lead to discrete energy levels on both valence and conduction band states. Decrease of the QD size increases the measured band gap and the spacing between energy levels. Multiplets of equally spaced resonance peaks are observed in the tunneling spectra. There, multiplets originate from degeneracy lifting induced by QD charging. The tunneling spectra of InSb QDs are qualitatively different from those observed in the STS of other III-V materials, for example, InAs QDs, with similar band gap energy. Theoretical calculations suggest the electron tunneling occurs through the states connected with L-valley of InSb QDs rather than through states of the Γ-valley. This observation calls for better understanding of the role of indirect valleys in strongly quantum-confined III-V nanomaterials.

Scanning Tunneling Microscopy | Materials Science | NREL

Science.gov Websites

of Scanning Tunneling Microscopy Capabilities Two-dimensional STM image 2D STM image of Si(111) 7×7 clusters along a fault boundary Occupied-state STM image taken on a Si(111)7×7 surface, showing two 7×7 tip at each point, an image of the sample surface is generated (topographic image). For very flat

Scanning Tunneling Microscopy Analysis of a Pentacene/Graphene/SiC(0001) system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yost, Andrew; Suzer, Ozgun; Smerdon, Joseph; Chien, Teyu; Guest, Jeffrey

2014-03-01

A complete understanding of the structure of molecular assemblies, as well as an understanding of donor-acceptor interactions is crucial in the development of emergent molecular electronics technologies such as organic photovoltaics. The pentacene (C22H14) is a good electron donor in Pentacene-C60 system, which is a model system of an organic photovoltaic cell.. Here we present scanning tunneling microscopy studies of the pentacene(Pn) molecule on Graphene(G) that is epitaxially grown on SiC(0001). In addition to the morphologies reported in literature, several new structures of Pn on on G/SiC(0001) were observed with different periodicity and registry both in monolayer and bilayer coverages of molecules on the surface. Preliminary scanning tunneling spectroscopy of the molecular system is also discussed; well-isolated states and a large HOMO-LUMO gap indicate the Pn is weakly coupled to the grapheme and underlying substrate.

Spin-polarized scanning tunneling microscopy experiments on the rough surface of a polycrystalline NiFe film with a fine magnetic tip sensitive to a well-defined magnetization component

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Matsuyama, H., E-mail: matsu@phys.sci.hokudai.ac.jp; Nara, D.; Kageyama, R.

We developed a micrometer-sized magnetic tip integrated onto the write head of a hard disk drive for spin-polarized scanning tunneling microscopy (SP-STM) in the modulated tip magnetization mode. Using SP-STM, we measured a well-defined in-plane spin-component of the tunneling current of the rough surface of a polycrystalline NiFe film. The spin asymmetry of the NiFe film was about 1.3% within the bias voltage range of -3 to 1 V. We obtained the local spin component image of the sample surface, switching the magnetic field of the sample to reverse the sample magnetization during scanning. We also obtained a spin imagemore » of the rough surface of a polycrystalline NiFe film evaporated on the recording medium of a hard disk drive.« less

Design and properties of a cryogenic dip-stick scanning tunneling microscope with capacitive coarse approach control.

PubMed

Schlegel, R; Hänke, T; Baumann, D; Kaiser, M; Nag, P K; Voigtländer, R; Lindackers, D; Büchner, B; Hess, C

2014-01-01

We present the design, setup, and operation of a new dip-stick scanning tunneling microscope. Its special design allows measurements in the temperature range from 4.7 K up to room temperature, where cryogenic vacuum conditions are maintained during the measurement. The system fits into every (4)He vessel with a bore of 50 mm, e.g., a transport dewar or a magnet bath cryostat. The microscope is equipped with a cleaving mechanism for cleaving single crystals in the whole temperature range and under cryogenic vacuum conditions. For the tip approach, a capacitive automated coarse approach is implemented. We present test measurements on the charge density wave system 2H-NbSe2 and the superconductor LiFeAs which demonstrate scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy data acquisition with high stability, high spatial resolution at variable temperatures and in high magnetic fields.

Parameterization of Photon Tunneling with Application to Ice Cloud Optical Properties at Terrestrial Wavelengths

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mitchell, D. L.

2006-12-01

Sometimes deep physical insights can be gained through the comparison of two theories of light scattering. Comparing van de Hulst's anomalous diffraction approximation (ADA) with Mie theory yielded insights on the behavior of the photon tunneling process that resulted in the modified anomalous diffraction approximation (MADA). (Tunneling is the process by which radiation just beyond a particle's physical cross-section may undergo large angle diffraction or absorption, contributing up to 40% of the absorption when wavelength and particle size are comparable.) Although this provided a means of parameterizing the tunneling process in terms of the real index of refraction and size parameter, it did not predict the efficiency of the tunneling process, where an efficiency of 100% is predicted for spheres by Mie theory. This tunneling efficiency, Tf, depends on particle shape and ranges from 0 to 1.0, with 1.0 corresponding to spheres. Similarly, by comparing absorption efficiencies predicted by the Finite Difference Time Domain Method (FDTD) with efficiencies predicted by MADA, Tf was determined for nine different ice particle shapes, including aggregates. This comparison confirmed that Tf is a strong function of ice crystal shape, including the aspect ratio when applicable. Tf was lowest (< 0.36) for aggregates and plates, and largest (> 0.9) for quasi- spherical shapes. A parameterization of Tf was developed in terms of (1) ice particle shape and (2) mean particle size regarding the large mode (D > 70 mm) of the ice particle size distribution. For the small mode, Tf is only a function of ice particle shape. When this Tf parameterization is used in MADA, absorption and extinction efficiency differences between MADA and FDTD are within 14% over the terrestrial wavelength range 3-100 mm for all size distributions and most crystal shapes likely to be found in cirrus clouds. Using hyperspectral radiances, it is demonstrated that Tf can be retrieved from ice clouds. Since Tf is a function of ice particle shape, this may provide a means of retrieving qualitative information on ice particle shape.

Self-organized carbon-rich stripe formation from competitive carbon and aluminium segregation at Fe0.85Al0.15(1 1 0) surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dai, Zongbei; Borghetti, Patrizia; Mouchaal, Younes; Chenot, Stéphane; David, Pascal; Jupille, Jacques; Cabailh, Gregory; Lazzari, Rémi

2018-06-01

By combining Scanning Tunnelling Microscopy, Low Energy Electron Diffraction and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy, it was found that the surface of A2 random alloy Fe0.85Al0.15(1 1 0) is significantly influenced by the segregation of aluminium but also of carbon bulk impurities. Below ∼ 900 K, carbon segregates in the form of self-organized protruding stripes separated by ∼ 5 nm that run along the [ 0 0 1 ] B bulk direction and cover up to 34% of the surface. Their C 1s spectroscopic signature that is dominated by graphitic carbon peaks around 900 K. Above this temperature, the surface carbon concentration decays by redissolution in the bulk, whereas an intense aluminium segregation is observed giving rise to a hexagonal superstructure. The present findings is interpreted by a competitive segregation between the two elements.

Atomically thin heterostructures based on single-layer tungsten diselenide and graphene.

PubMed

Lin, Yu-Chuan; Chang, Chih-Yuan S; Ghosh, Ram Krishna; Li, Jie; Zhu, Hui; Addou, Rafik; Diaconescu, Bogdan; Ohta, Taisuke; Peng, Xin; Lu, Ning; Kim, Moon J; Robinson, Jeremy T; Wallace, Robert M; Mayer, Theresa S; Datta, Suman; Li, Lain-Jong; Robinson, Joshua A

2014-12-10

Heterogeneous engineering of two-dimensional layered materials, including metallic graphene and semiconducting transition metal dichalcogenides, presents an exciting opportunity to produce highly tunable electronic and optoelectronic systems. In order to engineer pristine layers and their interfaces, epitaxial growth of such heterostructures is required. We report the direct growth of crystalline, monolayer tungsten diselenide (WSe2) on epitaxial graphene (EG) grown from silicon carbide. Raman spectroscopy, photoluminescence, and scanning tunneling microscopy confirm high-quality WSe2 monolayers, whereas transmission electron microscopy shows an atomically sharp interface, and low energy electron diffraction confirms near perfect orientation between WSe2 and EG. Vertical transport measurements across the WSe2/EG heterostructure provides evidence that an additional barrier to carrier transport beyond the expected WSe2/EG band offset exists due to the interlayer gap, which is supported by theoretical local density of states (LDOS) calculations using self-consistent density functional theory (DFT) and nonequilibrium Green's function (NEGF).

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

S. K. Kushwaha; Pletikosic, I.; Liang, T.

A long-standing issue in topological insulator research has been to find a bulk single crystal material that provides a high quality platform for characterizing topological surface states without interference from bulk electronic states. This material would ideally be a bulk insulator, have a surface state Dirac point energy well isolated from the bulk valence and conduction bands, display quantum oscillations from the surface state electrons, and be growable as large, high quality bulk single crystals. Here we show that this materials obstacle is overcome by bulk crystals of lightly Sn-doped Bi 1.1Sb 0.9Te 2S grown by the Vertical Bridgeman method.more » We characterize Sn-BSTS via angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy, scanning tunneling microscopy, transport studies, X-ray diffraction, and Raman scattering. We present this material as a high quality topological insulator that can be reliably grown as bulk single crystals and thus studied by many researchers interested in topological surface states.« less

Electronic signatures of dimerization in IrTe2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dai, Jixia; Wu, Weida; Oh, Yoon Seok; Cheong, S.-W.; Yang, J. J.

2014-03-01

Recently, the mysterious phase transition around Tc ~ 260 K in IrTe2 has been intensively studied. A structural supermodulation with q =1/5 was identified below Tc. A variety of microscopic mechanisms have been proposed to account for this transition, including charge-density wave due to Fermi surface nesting, Te p-orbital driven structure instability, anionic depolymerization, ionic dimerization, and so on. However, there has not been an unified picture on the nature of this transition. To address this issue, we have performed low-temperature scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy (STM/STS) experiments on IrTe2 and IrTe2-xSex. Our STM data clearly shows a strong bias dependence in both topography and local density of states (STS) maps. High resolution spectroscopic data further confirms the stripe-like electronic states modulation, which provides insight to the ionic dimerization revealed by X-ray diffraction.

Si(111) strained layers on Ge(111): Evidence for c (2 ×4 ) domains

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhachuk, R.; Coutinho, J.; Dolbak, A.; Cherepanov, V.; Voigtländer, B.

2017-08-01

The tensile-strained Si (111 ) layers grown on top of Ge (111 ) substrates are studied by combining scanning tunneling microscopy, low-energy electron diffraction, and first-principles calculations. It is shown that the layers exhibit c (2 ×4 ) domains, which are separated by domain walls along <1 ¯10 > directions. A model structure for the c (2 ×4 ) domains is proposed, which shows low formation energy and good agreement with the experimental data. The results of our calculations suggest that Ge atoms are likely to replace Si atoms with dangling bonds on the surface (rest-atoms and adatoms), thus significantly lowering the surface energy and inducing the formation of domain walls. The experiments and calculations demonstrate that when surface strain changes from compressive to tensile, the (111) reconstruction converts from dimer-adatom-stacking fault-based to adatom-based structures.

A Two-Dimensional 'Zigzag' Silica Polymorph on a Metal Support.

PubMed

Kuhness, David; Yang, Hyun Jin; Klemm, Hagen W; Prieto, Mauricio; Peschel, Gina; Fuhrich, Alexander; Menzel, Dietrich; Schmidt, Thomas; Yu, Xin; Shaikhutdinov, Shamil; Lewandowski, Adrian; Heyde, Markus; Kelemen, Anna; Włodarczyk, Radosław; Usvyat, Denis; Schütz, Martin; Sauer, Joachim; Freund, Hans-Joachim

2018-05-16

We present a new polymorph of the two-dimensional (2D) silica film with a characteristic 'zigzag' line structure and a rectangular unit cell which forms on a Ru(0001) metal substrate. This new silica polymorph may allow for important insights into growth modes and transformations of 2D silica films as a model system for the study of glass transitions. Based on scanning tunneling microscopy, low energy electron diffraction, infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements on the one hand, and density functional theory calculations on the other, a structural model for the 'zigzag' polymorph is proposed. In comparison to established monolayer and bilayer silica, this 'zigzag' structure system has intermediate characteristics in terms of coupling to the substrate and stoichiometry. The silica 'zigzag' phase is transformed upon reoxidation at higher annealing temperature into a SiO 2 silica bilayer film which is chemically decoupled from the substrate.

Facile synthesis of Ni/NiO@GO nanocomposites and its enhanced dielectric constant

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sarkar, S.; Giri, N.; Mondal, A.; Ray, R.

2018-05-01

Ni/NiO embedded Graphene Oxide (GO): Ni/NiO@GO is synthesized by citric acid assisted Pechini-type method. Structural and morphological characterizations are performed by X-ray powdered diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and tunneling electron microscopy (TEM). Defects in GO sheets are probed by RAMAN spectroscopy. The temperature variation of dielectric constant (ɛR) and dielectric loss (tan δ) are investigated in the temperature range 300 - 400 K. Decoration of GO with Ni/NiO nanoparticles enhances its ɛR by˜55 times. Moreover, its dielectric constant measured at 5 MHz is found to be˜430 times to that of Ni/NiO along with the reduction of dielectric loss by a factor˜0.5. The enhanced dielectric constant makes the composite Ni/NiO@GO a potential candidate for using in ecologically friendly energy storage devices.

Surface Chirality of Gly-Pro Dipeptide Adsorbed on a Cu(110) Surface.

PubMed

Cruguel, Hervé; Méthivier, Christophe; Pradier, Claire-Marie; Humblot, Vincent

2015-07-01

The adsorption of chiral Gly-Pro dipeptide on Cu(110) has been characterized by combining in situ polarization modulation infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy (PM-RAIRS) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The chemical state of the dipeptide, and its anchoring points and adsorption geometry, were determined at various coverage values. Gly-Pro molecules are present on Cu(110) in their anionic form (NH2 /COO(-)) and adsorb under a 3-point binding via both oxygen atoms of the carboxylate group and via the nitrogen atom of the amine group. Low-energy electron diffraction (LEED) and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) have shown the presence of an extended 2D chiral array, sustained via intermolecular H-bonds interactions. Furthermore, due to the particular shape of the molecule, only one homochiral domain is formed, creating thus a truly chiral surface. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Oxidation and emittance of superalloys in heat shield applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wiedemann, K. E.; Clark, R. K.; Unnam, J.

1986-01-01

Recently developed superalloys that form alumina coatings have a high potential for heat shield applications for advanced aerospace vehicles at temperatures above 1095C. Both INCOLOY alloy MA 956 (of the Inco Alloys International, Inc.), an iron-base oxide-dispersion-strengthened alloy, and CABOT alloy No. 214 (of the Cabot Corporation), an alumina-forming nickel-chromium alloy, have good oxidation resistance and good elevated temperature strength. The oxidation resistance of both alloys has been attributed to the formation of a thin alumina layer (alpha-Al2O3) at the surface. Emittance and oxidation data were obtained for simulated Space Shuttle reentry conditions using a hypersonic arc-heated wind tunnel. The surface oxides and substrate alloys were characterized using X-ray diffraction and scanning and transmission electron microscopy with an energy-dispersive X-ray analysis unit. The mass loss and emittance characteristics of the two alloys are discussed.

The (111) Surface of NaAu 2. Structure, Composition, and Stability

DOE PAGES

Kwolek, Emma J.; Widmer, Roland; Gröning, Oliver; ...

2014-12-17

The (111) surface of single-crystal NaAu 2 is a model for catalytically active, powdered NaAu 2. We prepare and characterize this surface with a broad suite of techniques. Preparation in ultrahigh vacuum consists of the traditional approach of ion bombardment (to remove impurities) and thermal annealing (to restore surface order). Both of these steps cause loss of sodium (Na), and repeated treatments eventually trigger conversion of the surface and near-surface regions to crystalline gold. The bulk has a limited ability to repopulate the surface Na. Under conditions where Na depletion is minimized, electron diffraction patterns are consistent with the bulk-terminatedmore » structure, and scanning tunneling microscopy reveals mesa-like features with lateral dimensions of a few tens of nanometers. The tops of the mesas do not possess fine structure characteristic of a periodic lattice, suggesting that the surface layer is disordered under the conditions of these experiments.« less

Few layer epitaxial germanene: a novel two-dimensional Dirac material

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dávila, María Eugenia; Le Lay, Guy

2016-02-01

Monolayer germanene, a novel graphene-like germanium allotrope akin to silicene has been recently grown on metallic substrates. Lying directly on the metal surfaces the reconstructed atom-thin sheets are prone to lose the massless Dirac fermion character and unique associated physical properties of free standing germanene. Here, we show that few layer germanene, which we create by dry epitaxy on a gold template, possesses Dirac cones thanks to a reduced interaction. This finding established on synchrotron-radiation-based photoemission, scanning tunneling microscopy imaging and surface electron diffraction places few layer germanene among the rare two-dimensional Dirac materials. Since germanium is currently used in the mainstream Si-based electronics, perspectives of using germanene for scaling down beyond the 5 nm node appear very promising. Other fascinating properties seem at hand, typically the robust quantum spin Hall effect for applications in spintronics and the engineering of Floquet Majorana fermions by light for quantum computing.

Few layer epitaxial germanene: a novel two-dimensional Dirac material.

PubMed

Dávila, María Eugenia; Le Lay, Guy

2016-02-10

Monolayer germanene, a novel graphene-like germanium allotrope akin to silicene has been recently grown on metallic substrates. Lying directly on the metal surfaces the reconstructed atom-thin sheets are prone to lose the massless Dirac fermion character and unique associated physical properties of free standing germanene. Here, we show that few layer germanene, which we create by dry epitaxy on a gold template, possesses Dirac cones thanks to a reduced interaction. This finding established on synchrotron-radiation-based photoemission, scanning tunneling microscopy imaging and surface electron diffraction places few layer germanene among the rare two-dimensional Dirac materials. Since germanium is currently used in the mainstream Si-based electronics, perspectives of using germanene for scaling down beyond the 5 nm node appear very promising. Other fascinating properties seem at hand, typically the robust quantum spin Hall effect for applications in spintronics and the engineering of Floquet Majorana fermions by light for quantum computing.

Few layer epitaxial germanene: a novel two-dimensional Dirac material

PubMed Central

Dávila, María Eugenia; Le Lay, Guy

2016-01-01

Monolayer germanene, a novel graphene-like germanium allotrope akin to silicene has been recently grown on metallic substrates. Lying directly on the metal surfaces the reconstructed atom-thin sheets are prone to lose the massless Dirac fermion character and unique associated physical properties of free standing germanene. Here, we show that few layer germanene, which we create by dry epitaxy on a gold template, possesses Dirac cones thanks to a reduced interaction. This finding established on synchrotron-radiation-based photoemission, scanning tunneling microscopy imaging and surface electron diffraction places few layer germanene among the rare two-dimensional Dirac materials. Since germanium is currently used in the mainstream Si-based electronics, perspectives of using germanene for scaling down beyond the 5 nm node appear very promising. Other fascinating properties seem at hand, typically the robust quantum spin Hall effect for applications in spintronics and the engineering of Floquet Majorana fermions by light for quantum computing. PMID:26860590

Rotational homogeneity in graphene grown on Au(111)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wofford, Joseph; Starodub, Elena; Walter, Andrew; Nie, Shu; Bostwick, Aaron; Bartelt, Norman; Thürmer, Konrad; Rotenberg, Eli; McCarty, Kevin; Dubon, Oscar

2012-02-01

The set of properties offered by the (111) surface of gold makes it intriguing as a platform on which to study the fundamental processes that underpin graphene growth on metals. Among these are the low carbon solubility and an interaction strength with graphene that is predicted to be smaller than most transition metals. We have investigated this synthesis process using low-energy electron microscopy and diffraction to monitor the sample surface in real time, and found that the resulting graphene film possesses a remarkable degree of rotational homogeneity. The dominant orientation of the graphene is aligned with the Au lattice, with a small minority rotated by 30 degrees. The origins of this in-plane structuring are puzzling because angularly resolved photo-emission spectroscopy and scanning tunneling microscopy experiments both suggest only a relatively small interaction between the two materials. Finally, the implications of these findings for the growth of high structural-quality graphene films are discussed.

Perfluoropentacene adsorption on Cu(110)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gall, J.; Zhang, L.; Fu, X.; Zeppenfeld, P.; Sun, L. D.

2017-09-01

The adsorption of perfluoropentacene (PFP) on the Cu(110) surface has been investigated using reflectance difference spectroscopy (RDS), low-energy electron diffraction, and low-temperature scanning tunneling microscopy. The PFP molecules within the first monolayer align their long molecular axis exclusively oriented along the [001] azimuthal direction of the Cu substrate. In comparison with the adsorption behavior of pentacene on the same surface, a strong effect of the fluorination regarding the molecular orientation and the intermolecular and molecule-substrate interactions was identified. Furthermore, a two-dimensional gas-solid phase transition accompanied by a reversible azimuthal rotation of the PFP molecules was observed at the beginning of the second monolayer growth. The change of the optical anisotropy associated with this reorientation was used to explore the two-dimensional (2D) condensation as a function of coverage and temperature by RDS, and the 2D heat of condensation in the PFP bilayer on Cu(110) was determined to be 105 meV.

Band lineup of lattice mismatched InSe/GaSe quantum well structures prepared by van der Waals epitaxy: Absence of interfacial dipoles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lang, O.; Klein, A.; Pettenkofer, C.; Jaegermann, W.; Chevy, A.

1996-10-01

Epitaxial growth of the strongly lattice mismatched (6.5%) layered chalcogenides InSe and GaSe on each other is obtained with the concept of van der Waals epitaxy as proven by low-energy electron diffraction and scanning tunnel microscope. InSe/GaSe/InSe and GaSe/InSe/GaSe quantum well structures were prepared by molecular beam epitaxy and their interface properties were characterized by soft x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Valence and conduction band offsets are determined to be 0.1 and 0.9 eV, respectively, and do not depend on deposition sequence (commutativity). As determined from the measured work functions the interface dipole is 0.05 eV; the band lineup between the two materials is correctly predicted by the Anderson model (electron affinity rule).

Distinguishing Individual DNA Bases in a Network by Non-Resonant Tip-Enhanced Raman Scattering.

PubMed

Zhang, Rui; Zhang, Xianbiao; Wang, Huifang; Zhang, Yao; Jiang, Song; Hu, Chunrui; Zhang, Yang; Luo, Yi; Dong, Zhenchao

2017-05-08

The importance of identifying DNA bases at the single-molecule level is well recognized for many biological applications. Although such identification can be achieved by electrical measurements using special setups, it is still not possible to identify single bases in real space by optical means owing to the diffraction limit. Herein, we demonstrate the outstanding ability of scanning tunneling microscope (STM)-controlled non-resonant tip-enhanced Raman scattering (TERS) to unambiguously distinguish two individual complementary DNA bases (adenine and thymine) with a spatial resolution down to 0.9 nm. The distinct Raman fingerprints identified for the two molecules allow to differentiate in real space individual DNA bases in coupled base pairs. The demonstrated ability of non-resonant Raman scattering with super-high spatial resolution will significantly extend the applicability of TERS, opening up new routes for single-molecule DNA sequencing. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Microstructure and properties of 17-4PH steel plasma nitrocarburized with a carrier gas containing rare earth elements

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Liu, R.L., E-mail: ruiliangliu@126.com; Yan, M.F., E-mail: yanmufu@hit.edu.cn; Wu, Y.Q.

2010-01-15

The effect of rare earth addition in the carrier gas on plasma nitrocarburizing of 17-4PH steel was studied. The microstructure and crystallographically of the phases in the surface layer as well as surface morphology of the nitrocarburized specimens were characterized by optical microscope, X-ray diffraction and scanning tunneling microscope, respectively. The hardness of the surface layer was measured by using a Vickers hardness test. The results show that the incorporation of rare earth elements in the carrier gas can increase the nitrocarburized layer thickness up to 55%, change the phase proportion in the nitrocarburized layer, refine the nitrides in surfacemore » layer, and increase the layer hardness above 100HV. The higher surface hardening effect after rare earth addition is caused by improvement in microstructure and change in the phase proportion of the nitrocarburized layer.« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kuzmin, Stanislav L.; Wesolowski, Michal J.; Duley, Walter W.

A new type of metal-organic composition consisting of clusters of nanoparticles has been synthesised by laser irradiation of metallocene/benzene solutions. The metallocene molecules in this reaction become the source of the metal. Exposure to high-energy femtosecond laser pulses dehydrogenate benzene molecules and initiate the high-temperature high-pressure conditions that results in the synthesis of new materials. Irradiation experiments have been carried out on ferrocene/benzene and on other solutions. With ferrocene the synthesis of a new compound has been confirmed by X-ray powder diffraction as the peaks detected do not correspond to any known substance in the Crystallography Open Database. Theoretical simulationmore » of the periodic structure of this new carbide predicts that it has hexagonal symmetry and a unit cell with a = 3.2A and c =2.8A. The exact structure is still uncertain but may be determined from scanning tunneling microscope (STM) studies.« less

Growth of an Ultrathin Zirconia Film on Pt3Zr Examined by High-Resolution X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy, Temperature-Programmed Desorption, Scanning Tunneling Microscopy, and Density Functional Theory.

PubMed

Li, Hao; Choi, Joong-Il Jake; Mayr-Schmölzer, Wernfried; Weilach, Christian; Rameshan, Christoph; Mittendorfer, Florian; Redinger, Josef; Schmid, Michael; Rupprechter, Günther

2015-02-05

Ultrathin (∼3 Å) zirconium oxide films were grown on a single-crystalline Pt 3 Zr(0001) substrate by oxidation in 1 × 10 -7 mbar of O 2 at 673 K, followed by annealing at temperatures up to 1023 K. The ZrO 2 films are intended to serve as model supports for reforming catalysts and fuel cell anodes. The atomic and electronic structure and composition of the ZrO 2 films were determined by synchrotron-based high-resolution X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (HR-XPS) (including depth profiling), low-energy electron diffraction (LEED), scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Oxidation mainly leads to ultrathin trilayer (O-Zr-O) films on the alloy; only a small area fraction (10-15%) is covered by ZrO 2 clusters (thickness ∼0.5-10 nm). The amount of clusters decreases with increasing annealing temperature. Temperature-programmed desorption (TPD) of CO was utilized to confirm complete coverage of the Pt 3 Zr substrate by ZrO 2 , that is, formation of a closed oxide overlayer. Experiments and DFT calculations show that the core level shifts of Zr in the trilayer ZrO 2 films are between those of metallic Zr and thick (bulklike) ZrO 2 . Therefore, the assignment of such XPS core level shifts to substoichiometric ZrO x is not necessarily correct, because these XPS signals may equally well arise from ultrathin ZrO 2 films or metal/ZrO 2 interfaces. Furthermore, our results indicate that the common approach of calculating core level shifts by DFT including final-state effects should be taken with care for thicker insulating films, clusters, and bulk insulators.

Energy-gap spectroscopy of superconductors using a tunneling microscope

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Le Duc, H. G.; Kaiser, W. J.; Stern, J. A.

1987-01-01

A unique scanning tunneling microscope (STM) system has been developed for spectroscopy of the superconducting energy gap. High-resolution control of tunnel current and voltage allows for measurement of superconducting properties at tunnel resistance levels 100-1000 greater than that achieved in prior work. The previously used STM methods for superconductor spectroscopy are compared to those developed for the work reported here. Superconducting energy-gap spectra are reported for three superconductors, Pb, PbBi, and NbN, over a range of tunnel resistance. The measured spectra are compared directly to theory.

From Single Atoms to Nanoparticles — Spectroscopy on the Atomic Level

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nilius, Niklas

2003-12-01

The scanning tunneling microscope is not only a well-established tool for a topographic characterization of the sample surface on the atomic scale. It also provides a variety of spectroscopic techniques to examine electronic, magnetic, vibrational and optical properties of a localized system. The following presentation gives an overview, how scanning tunneling spectroscopy, inelastic electron tunneling spectroscopy and photon emission spectroscopy with the STM can be employed to investigate spatially confined metal systems and their interaction with molecular gases. The experiments were performed on single Pd and Au atoms, mono-atomic chains and individual Ag clusters on a NiAl support and a Al2O3 thin film.

Excitation of propagating surface plasmons with a scanning tunnelling microscope.

PubMed

Wang, T; Boer-Duchemin, E; Zhang, Y; Comtet, G; Dujardin, G

2011-04-29

Inelastic electron tunnelling excitation of propagating surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) on a thin gold film is demonstrated. This is done by combining a scanning tunnelling microscope (STM) with an inverted optical microscope. Analysis of the leakage radiation in both the image and Fourier planes unambiguously shows that the majority (up to 99.5%) of the detected photons originate from propagating SPPs with propagation lengths of the order of 10  µm. The remaining photon emission is localized under the STM tip and is attributed to a tip-gold film coupled plasmon resonance as evidenced by the bimodal spectral distribution and enhanced emission intensity observed using a silver STM tip for excitation.

Note: optical optimization for ultrasensitive photon mapping with submolecular resolution by scanning tunneling microscope induced luminescence.

PubMed

Chen, L G; Zhang, C; Zhang, R; Zhang, X L; Dong, Z C

2013-06-01

We report the development of a custom scanning tunneling microscope equipped with photon collection and detection systems. The optical optimization includes the comprehensive design of aspherical lens for light collimation and condensing, the sophisticated piezo stages for in situ lens adjustment inside ultrahigh vacuum, and the fiber-free coupling of collected photons directly onto the ultrasensitive single-photon detectors. We also demonstrate submolecular photon mapping for the molecular islands of porphyrin on Ag(111) under small tunneling currents down to 10 pA and short exposure time down to 1.2 ms/pixel. A high quantum efficiency up to 10(-2) was also observed.

Construction and performance of a dilution-refrigerator based spectroscopic-imaging scanning tunneling microscope.

PubMed

Singh, U R; Enayat, M; White, S C; Wahl, P

2013-01-01

We report on the set-up and performance of a dilution-refrigerator based spectroscopic imaging scanning tunneling microscope. It operates at temperatures below 10 mK and in magnetic fields up to 14T. The system allows for sample transfer and in situ cleavage. We present first-results demonstrating atomic resolution and the multi-gap structure of the superconducting gap of NbSe(2) at base temperature. To determine the energy resolution of our system we have measured a normal metal/vacuum/superconductor tunneling junction consisting of an aluminum tip on a gold sample. Our system allows for continuous measurements at base temperature on time scales of up to ≈170 h.

Optimal lens design and use in laser-scanning microscopy

PubMed Central

Negrean, Adrian; Mansvelder, Huibert D.

2014-01-01

In laser-scanning microscopy often an off-the-shelf achromatic doublet is used as a scan lens which can reduce the available diffraction-limited field-of-view (FOV) by a factor of 3 and introduce chromatic aberrations that are scan angle dependent. Here we present several simple lens designs of superior quality that fully make use of high-NA low-magnification objectives, offering diffraction-limited imaging over a large FOV and wavelength range. We constructed a two-photon laser-scanning microscope with optimized custom lenses which had a near diffraction limit point-spread-function (PSF) with less than 3.6% variation over a 400 µm FOV and less than 0.5 µm lateral color between 750 and 1050 nm. PMID:24877017

Note: Fabrication and characterization of molybdenum tips for scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Carrozzo, P.; Tumino, F.; Facibeni, A.

We present a method for the preparation of bulk molybdenum tips for Scanning Tunneling Microscopy and Spectroscopy and we assess their potential in performing high resolution imaging and local spectroscopy by measurements on different single crystal surfaces in UHV, namely, Au(111), Si(111)-7 × 7, and titanium oxide 2D ordered nanostructures supported on Au(111). The fabrication method is versatile and can be extended to other metals, e.g., cobalt.

Epitaxial Growth and Electronic Structure of Half Heuslers Co1-xNixTiSb (001), Ni1-xCoxTiSn, and PtLuSb

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-01-09

studied in detail using scanning tunneling microscopy and angle resolved photoemission. For the doping levels achieved in cobalt titanium antimony, the...angle resolved photoemission. For the doping levels achieved in cobalt titanium antimony, the electron mobility at room temperature was comparable...scanning tunneling microscopy and angle resolved photoemission. For the doping levels achieved in cobalt titanium antimony, the electron mobility at room

Scanning Tunneling Microscopy, Atomic Force Microscopy, and Related Techniques

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-02-26

92. (B47) Fujui, T.; Suzuki, MA.; Miyashita, MA.; Yamaguchi, M.; Onuki , T.; Nakamura, H .; Matsubara, T.; Yamada, H .; Nakayamia, K. J. Vac. Sd...and seven deflection detection systems (A 15). (Al) Binnig, G.; Rohrer, H .; Gerber, Ch.; Weibel, E. Phys. Rev. Lett. 1982, 49, 57. (A2) Ray, M.A...J. J. Vac Sci. Technol. A 1ඣ, 9, 44-50. (AS) Scanning Tunneling Microscopy and Related Methods; Behm, RJ., Garcia, N., Rohrer, H ., Eds.; NATO ASI

Fano Description of Single-Hydrocarbon Fluorescence Excited by a Scanning Tunneling Microscope.

PubMed

Kröger, Jörg; Doppagne, Benjamin; Scheurer, Fabrice; Schull, Guillaume

2018-06-13

The detection of fluorescence with submolecular resolution enables the exploration of spatially varying photon yields and vibronic properties at the single-molecule level. By placing individual polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon molecules into the plasmon cavity formed by the tip of a scanning tunneling microscope and a NaCl-covered Ag(111) surface, molecular light emission spectra are obtained that unravel vibrational progression. In addition, light spectra unveil a signature of the molecule even when the tunneling current is injected well separated from the molecular emitter. This signature exhibits a distance-dependent Fano profile that reflects the subtle interplay between inelastic tunneling electrons, the molecular exciton and localized plasmons in at-distance as well as on-molecule fluorescence. The presented findings open the path to luminescence of a different class of molecules than investigated before and contribute to the understanding of single-molecule luminescence at surfaces in a unified picture.

STM-induced light emission enhanced by weakly coupled organic ad-layers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cottin, M. C.; Ekici, E.; Bobisch, C. A.

2018-03-01

We analyze the light emission induced by the tunneling current flowing in a scanning tunneling microscopy experiment. In particular, we study the influence of organic ad-layers on the light emission on the initial monolayer of bismuth (Bi) on Cu(111) in comparison to the well-known case of organic ad-layers on Ag(111). On the Bi/Cu(111)-surface, we find that the scanning tunneling microscopy-induced light emission is considerably enhanced if an organic layer, e.g., the fullerene C60 or the perylene derivate perylene-tetracarboxylic-dianhydride, is introduced into the tip-sample junction. The enhancement can be correlated with a peculiarly weak interaction between the adsorbed molecules and the underlying Bi/Cu(111) substrate as compared to the Ag(111) substrate. This allows us to efficiently enhance and tune the coupling of the tunneling current to localized excitations of the tip-sample junction, which in turn couple to radiative decay channels.

Soft control of scanning probe microscope with high flexibility.

PubMed

Liu, Zhenghui; Guo, Yuzheng; Zhang, Zhaohui; Zhu, Xing

2007-01-01

Most commercial scanning probe microscopes have multiple embedded digital microprocessors and utilize complex software for system control, which is not easily obtained or modified by researchers wishing to perform novel and special applications. In this paper, we present a simple and flexible control solution that just depends on software running on a single-processor personal computer with real-time Linux operating system to carry out all the control tasks including negative feedback, tip moving, data processing and user interface. In this way, we fully exploit the potential of a personal computer in calculating and programming, enabling us to manipulate the scanning probe as required without any special digital control circuits and related technical know-how. This solution has been successfully applied to a homemade ultrahigh vacuum scanning tunneling microscope and a multiprobe scanning tunneling microscope.

Stacking fault induced tunnel barrier in platelet graphite nanofiber

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lan, Yann-Wen, E-mail: chiidong@phys.sinica.edu.tw, E-mail: ywlan@phys.sinica.edu.tw; Chang, Yuan-Chih; Chang, Chia-Seng

A correlation study using image inspection and electrical characterization of platelet graphite nanofiber devices is conducted. Close transmission electron microscopy and diffraction pattern inspection reveal layers with inflection angles appearing in otherwise perfectly stacked graphene platelets, separating nanofibers into two domains. Electrical measurement gives a stability diagram consisting of alternating small-large Coulomb blockade diamonds, suggesting that there are two charging islands coupled together through a tunnel junction. Based on these two findings, we propose that a stacking fault can behave as a tunnel barrier for conducting electrons and is responsible for the observed double-island single electron transistor characteristics.

Coherent x-ray zoom condenser lens for diffractive and scanning microscopy.

PubMed

Kimura, Takashi; Matsuyama, Satoshi; Yamauchi, Kazuto; Nishino, Yoshinori

2013-04-22

We propose a coherent x-ray zoom condenser lens composed of two-stage deformable Kirkpatrick-Baez mirrors. The lens delivers coherent x-rays with a controllable beam size, from one micrometer to a few tens of nanometers, at a fixed focal position. The lens is suitable for diffractive and scanning microscopy. We also propose non-scanning coherent diffraction microscopy for extended objects by using an apodized focused beam produced by the lens with a spatial filter. The proposed apodized-illumination method will be useful in highly efficient imaging with ultimate storage ring sources, and will also open the way to single-shot coherent diffraction microscopy of extended objects with x-ray free-electron lasers.

Scanning force microscope for in situ nanofocused X-ray diffraction studies

PubMed Central

Ren, Zhe; Mastropietro, Francesca; Davydok, Anton; Langlais, Simon; Richard, Marie-Ingrid; Furter, Jean-Jacques; Thomas, Olivier; Dupraz, Maxime; Verdier, Marc; Beutier, Guillaume; Boesecke, Peter; Cornelius, Thomas W.

2014-01-01

A compact scanning force microscope has been developed for in situ combination with nanofocused X-ray diffraction techniques at third-generation synchrotron beamlines. Its capabilities are demonstrated on Au nano-islands grown on a sapphire substrate. The new in situ device allows for in situ imaging the sample topography and the crystallinity by recording simultaneously an atomic force microscope (AFM) image and a scanning X-ray diffraction map of the same area. Moreover, a selected Au island can be mechanically deformed using the AFM tip while monitoring the deformation of the atomic lattice by nanofocused X-ray diffraction. This in situ approach gives access to the mechanical behavior of nanomaterials. PMID:25178002

Careful stoichiometry monitoring and doping control during the tunneling interface growth of an n + InAs(Si)/p + GaSb(Si) Esaki diode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

El Kazzi, S.; Alian, A.; Hsu, B.; Verhulst, A. S.; Walke, A.; Favia, P.; Douhard, B.; Lu, W.; del Alamo, J. A.; Collaert, N.; Merckling, C.

2018-02-01

In this work, we report on the growth of pseudomorphic and highly doped InAs(Si)/GaSb(Si) heterostructures on p-type (0 0 1)-oriented GaSb substrate and the fabrication and characterization of n+/p+ Esaki tunneling diodes. We particularly study the influence of the Molecular Beam Epitaxy shutter sequences on the structural and electrical characteristics of InAs(Si)/GaSb(Si) Esaki diodes structures. We use real time Reflection High Electron Diffraction analysis to monitor different interface stoichiometry at the tunneling interface. With Atomic Force Microscopy, X-ray diffraction and Transmission Electron Microscopy analyses, we demonstrate that an "InSb-like" interface leads to a sharp and defect-free interface exhibiting high quality InAs(Si) crystal growth contrary to the "GaAs-like" one. We then prove by means of Secondary Ion Mass Spectroscopy profiles that Si-diffusion at the interface allows the growth of highly Si-doped InAs/GaSb diodes without any III-V material deterioration. Finally, simulations are conducted to explain our electrical results where a high Band to Band Tunneling (BTBT) peak current density of Jp = 8 mA/μm2 is achieved.

Applications of surface analytical techniques in Earth Sciences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qian, Gujie; Li, Yubiao; Gerson, Andrea R.

2015-03-01

This review covers a wide range of surface analytical techniques: X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning photoelectron microscopy (SPEM), photoemission electron microscopy (PEEM), dynamic and static secondary ion mass spectroscopy (SIMS), electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD), atomic force microscopy (AFM). Others that are relatively less widely used but are also important to the Earth Sciences are also included: Auger electron spectroscopy (AES), low energy electron diffraction (LEED) and scanning tunnelling microscopy (STM). All these techniques probe only the very top sample surface layers (sub-nm to several tens of nm). In addition, we also present several other techniques i.e. Raman microspectroscopy, reflection infrared (IR) microspectroscopy and quantitative evaluation of minerals by scanning electron microscopy (QEMSCAN) that penetrate deeper into the sample, up to several μm, as all of them are fundamental analytical tools for the Earth Sciences. Grazing incidence synchrotron techniques, sensitive to surface measurements, are also briefly introduced at the end of this review. (Scanning) transmission electron microscopy (TEM/STEM) is a special case that can be applied to characterisation of mineralogical and geological sample surfaces. Since TEM/STEM is such an important technique for Earth Scientists, we have also included it to draw attention to the capability of TEM/STEM applied as a surface-equivalent tool. While this review presents most of the important techniques for the Earth Sciences, it is not an all-inclusive bibliography of those analytical techniques. Instead, for each technique that is discussed, we first give a very brief introduction about its principle and background, followed by a short section on approaches to sample preparation that are important for researchers to appreciate prior to the actual sample analysis. We then use examples from publications (and also some of our known unpublished results) within the Earth Sciences to show how each technique is applied and used to obtain specific information and to resolve real problems, which forms the central theme of this review. Although this review focuses on applications of these techniques to study mineralogical and geological samples, we also anticipate that researchers from other research areas such as Material and Environmental Sciences may benefit from this review.

Phase-Pure and Multiphase Ceramic Waste Forms: Microstructure Evolution and Cesium Immobilization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tumurugoti, Priyatham

Efforts of this thesis are directed towards developing ceramic waste forms as a potential replacement for the conventional glass waste forms for the safe immobilization and disposal of nuclear wastes from the legacy weapons programs as well as commercial power production. The body of this work consists of two equal parts with first focused on multiphase waste form containing hollandite as major phase and the later, on single-phase hollandites for Cs incorporation. Part I: Multiphase waste forms:. Hollandite-rich multiphase waste form compositions processed by melt-solidification and spark plasma sintering (SPS) were characterized, compared, and validated for nuclear waste incorporation. Phase identification by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and electron back-scattered diffraction (EBSD) confirm hollandite as the major phase present in these samples along with perovskite, pyrochlore and zirconolite. Distribution of select elements observed by wavelength dispersive spectroscopy (WDS) maps indicate that Cs forms a secondary phase during SPS processing, which is considered undesirable. On the other hand Cs partitioned into hollandite phase in melt-processed samples. Further analysis of hollandite structure in melt-processed composition, by selected area electron diffraction (SAED), reveals ordered arrangement of tunnel ions (Ba/Cs) and vacancies, suggesting efficient Cs incorporation into the lattice. Following the microstructural analysis, the crystallization behavior of the multiphase composition during melt-processing was studied. The phase assemblage and evolution of hollandite, zirconolite, pyrochlore, and perovskite type structures during melt processing were studied using thermal analysis, in-situ XRD, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Samples prepared by melting followed by annealing and quenching were analyzed to determine and measure the progression of the phase assemblage. Samples were melted at 1500°C and heat-treated at crystallization temperatures of 1285°C and 1325°C corresponding to exothermic events identified from differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) measurements. Results indicate that the selected multiphase composition partially melts at 1500°C with hollandite coexisting as crystalline phase. Perovskite and zirconolite phases crystallized from the residual melt at temperatures below 1350°C. Depending on their respective thermal histories, different quenched samples were found to have different phase assemblages including phases such as perovskite, zirconolite and TiO2. Part II: Single phase waste forms. Hollandites with compositions Ba1.15-xCs2xCr 2.3Ti5.7O16 have been identified as promising lattices to host Cs. Series of compositions with 0 ≤ x ≤ 1.15 were prepared by sol-gel synthesis, characterized, and analyzed for Cs retention properties. Phase-pure hollandites adopting monoclinic symmetry (I2/m) were observed to form in the compositional range 0 ≤ x ≤ 0.4. Structural models for the compositions: x = 0, 0.15, and 0.25, were developed from Rietveld analysis of powder XRD and neutron diffraction data. Refined anisotropic displacement parameters (beta ij) for Ba and Cs ions in the hollandite tunnels indicate local disorder of Ba/Cs along the tunnel direction. In addition, weak super lattice reflections have also been observed in XRD patterns. Our data suggests the presence of supercell structures with ordered tunnel cations for the phase-pure hollandites studied. Finally, the performance of phase-pure hollandites have been evaluated qualitatively by chemical durability testing and ion-irradiation experiments. Elemental analysis of the leachants after 7-day leach tests show that Cs and Cr were extracted from the lattice together. No direct correlation between structural parameters or Cs content was observed. The simulated light-ion (He2+) and heavy-ion (Kr3+) irradiation experiments reveal that all the hollandite compositions studied undergo amorphization during alpha-decay events, and the extent of it increases with the Cs content. In summary, the present work validates melt-processing as an effective method to prepare multiphase waste forms with the desired phase assemblage. Ba1.15-xCs2xCr2.3Ti5.7O16 hollandite has been identified as an effective ceramic host for Cs immobilization and appropriate structural models for hollandites with different Cs levels have been developed. The structural information may be used to study or simulate the lattice-environment interaction.

Observations on the Role of Hydrogen in Facet Formation in Near-alpha Titanium (Preprint)

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-05-01

using quantitative tilt fractography and electron backscatter diffraction while facet topography was examined using ultra high resolution scanning...quantitative tilt fractography and electron backscatter diffraction while facet topography was examined using ultra high resolution scanning electron...tilt fractography / electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) technique in which both the crystallographic orientation of the fractured grain and the

Generation of a frequency comb and applications thereof

DOEpatents

Hagmann, Mark J; Yarotski, Dmitry A

2013-12-03

Apparatus for generating a microwave frequency comb (MFC) in the DC tunneling current of a scanning tunneling microscope (STM) by fast optical rectification, cause by nonlinearity of the DC current vs. voltage curve for the tunneling junction, of regularly-spaced, short pulses of optical radiation from a focused mode-locked, ultrafast laser, directed onto the tunneling junction, is described. Application of the MFC to high resolution dopant profiling in semiconductors is simulated. Application of the MFC to other measurements is described.

Vacuum phonon tunneling.

PubMed

Altfeder, Igor; Voevodin, Andrey A; Roy, Ajit K

2010-10-15

Field-induced phonon tunneling, a previously unknown mechanism of interfacial thermal transport, has been revealed by ultrahigh vacuum inelastic scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). Using thermally broadened Fermi-Dirac distribution in the STM tip as in situ atomic-scale thermometer we found that thermal vibrations of the last tip atom are effectively transmitted to sample surface despite few angstroms wide vacuum gap. We show that phonon tunneling is driven by interfacial electric field and thermally vibrating image charges, and its rate is enhanced by surface electron-phonon interaction.

Publications - GMC 58 | Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys

Science.gov Websites

DGGS GMC 58 Publication Details Title: X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy mineral , Michael, and Core Laboratories, 1985, X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy mineral analyses

High-resolution scanning precession electron diffraction: Alignment and spatial resolution.

PubMed

Barnard, Jonathan S; Johnstone, Duncan N; Midgley, Paul A

2017-03-01

Methods are presented for aligning the pivot point of a precessing electron probe in the scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM) and for assessing the spatial resolution in scanning precession electron diffraction (SPED) experiments. The alignment procedure is performed entirely in diffraction mode, minimising probe wander within the bright-field (BF) convergent beam electron diffraction (CBED) disk and is used to obtain high spatial resolution SPED maps. Through analysis of the power spectra of virtual bright-field images extracted from the SPED data, the precession-induced blur was measured as a function of precession angle. At low precession angles, SPED spatial resolution was limited by electronic noise in the scan coils; whereas at high precession angles SPED spatial resolution was limited by tilt-induced two-fold astigmatism caused by the positive spherical aberration of the probe-forming lens. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A variable-temperature nanostencil compatible with a low-temperature scanning tunneling microscope/atomic force microscope

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Steurer, Wolfram, E-mail: wst@zurich.ibm.com; Gross, Leo; Schlittler, Reto R.

2014-02-15

We describe a nanostencil lithography tool capable of operating at variable temperatures down to 30 K. The setup is compatible with a combined low-temperature scanning tunneling microscope/atomic force microscope located within the same ultra-high-vacuum apparatus. The lateral movement capability of the mask allows the patterning of complex structures. To demonstrate operational functionality of the tool and estimate temperature drift and blurring, we fabricated LiF and NaCl nanostructures on Cu(111) at 77 K.

Plasmon-mediated circularly polarized luminescence of GaAs in a scanning tunneling microscope

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mühlenberend, Svenja; Gruyters, Markus; Berndt, Richard, E-mail: berndt@physik.uni-kiel.de

2015-12-14

The electroluminescence from p-type GaAs(110) in a scanning tunneling microscope has been investigated at 6 K. Unexpectedly, high degrees of circular polarization have often been observed with ferromagnetic Ni tips and also with paramagnetic W and Ag tips. The data are interpreted in terms of two distinct excitation mechanisms. Electron injection generates intense luminescence with low polarization. Plasmon-mediated generation of electron-hole pairs leads to less intense emission, which, however, is highly polarized for many tips.

Charge-Dependent Atomic-Scale Structures of High-Index and (110) Gold Electrode Surfaces as Revealed by Scanning Tunneling Microscopy

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-02-01

known gold atomic diameter of 2.89 A. Within a given domain, featuring adjacent terrace strings separated by monoatomic steps, the measured unit-cell...to utilize high-index gold faces in exploring the influence of monoatomic steps and related structural features on surface electrochemical phenomena...110) Gold Electrode Surfaces D1 T IC as Revealed by Scanning Tunneling Microscopy FLECTE MAR 10 19941 by E Xiaoping Gao, Gregory J. Edens, Antoinette

Distinction of nuclear spin states with the scanning tunneling microscope.

PubMed

Natterer, Fabian Donat; Patthey, François; Brune, Harald

2013-10-25

We demonstrate rotational excitation spectroscopy with the scanning tunneling microscope for physisorbed H(2) and its isotopes HD and D(2). The observed excitation energies are very close to the gas phase values and show the expected scaling with the moment of inertia. Since these energies are characteristic for the molecular nuclear spin states we are able to identify the para and ortho species of hydrogen and deuterium, respectively. We thereby demonstrate nuclear spin sensitivity with unprecedented spatial resolution.

A variable-temperature nanostencil compatible with a low-temperature scanning tunneling microscope/atomic force microscope.

PubMed

Steurer, Wolfram; Gross, Leo; Schlittler, Reto R; Meyer, Gerhard

2014-02-01

We describe a nanostencil lithography tool capable of operating at variable temperatures down to 30 K. The setup is compatible with a combined low-temperature scanning tunneling microscope/atomic force microscope located within the same ultra-high-vacuum apparatus. The lateral movement capability of the mask allows the patterning of complex structures. To demonstrate operational functionality of the tool and estimate temperature drift and blurring, we fabricated LiF and NaCl nanostructures on Cu(111) at 77 K.

Robust procedure for creating and characterizing the atomic structure of scanning tunneling microscope tips.

PubMed

Tewari, Sumit; Bastiaans, Koen M; Allan, Milan P; van Ruitenbeek, Jan M

2017-01-01

Scanning tunneling microscopes (STM) are used extensively for studying and manipulating matter at the atomic scale. In spite of the critical role of the STM tip, procedures for controlling the atomic-scale shape of STM tips have not been rigorously justified. Here, we present a method for preparing tips in situ while ensuring the crystalline structure and a reproducibly prepared tip structure up to the second atomic layer. We demonstrate a controlled evolution of such tips starting from undefined tip shapes.

Mapping atomic contact between pentacene and a Au surface using scanning tunneling spectroscopy.

PubMed

Song, Young Jae; Lee, Kyuho; Kim, Seong Heon; Choi, Byoung-Young; Yu, Jaejun; Kuk, Young

2010-03-10

We mapped spatially varying intramolecular electronic structures on a pentacene-gold interface using scanning tunneling spectroscopy. Along with ab initio calculations based on density functional theory, we found that the directional nature of the d orbitals of Au atoms plays an important role in the interaction at the pentacene-gold contact. The gold-induced interface states are broadened and shifted by various pentacene-gold distances determined by the various registries of a pentacene molecule on a gold substrate.

Realization of a quantum Hamiltonian Boolean logic gate on the Si(001):H surface.

PubMed

Kolmer, Marek; Zuzak, Rafal; Dridi, Ghassen; Godlewski, Szymon; Joachim, Christian; Szymonski, Marek

2015-08-07

The design and construction of the first prototypical QHC (Quantum Hamiltonian Computing) atomic scale Boolean logic gate is reported using scanning tunnelling microscope (STM) tip-induced atom manipulation on an Si(001):H surface. The NOR/OR gate truth table was confirmed by dI/dU STS (Scanning Tunnelling Spectroscopy) tracking how the surface states of the QHC quantum circuit on the Si(001):H surface are shifted according to the input logical status.

Synthesis of Epitaxial Single-Layer MoS2 on Au(111).

PubMed

Grønborg, Signe S; Ulstrup, Søren; Bianchi, Marco; Dendzik, Maciej; Sanders, Charlotte E; Lauritsen, Jeppe V; Hofmann, Philip; Miwa, Jill A

2015-09-08

We present a method for synthesizing large area epitaxial single-layer MoS2 on the Au(111) surface in ultrahigh vacuum. Using scanning tunneling microscopy and low energy electron diffraction, the evolution of the growth is followed from nanoscale single-layer MoS2 islands to a continuous MoS2 layer. An exceptionally good control over the MoS2 coverage is maintained using an approach based on cycles of Mo evaporation and sulfurization to first nucleate the MoS2 nanoislands and then gradually increase their size. During this growth process the native herringbone reconstruction of Au(111) is lifted as shown by low energy electron diffraction measurements. Within the MoS2 islands, we identify domains rotated by 60° that lead to atomically sharp line defects at domain boundaries. As the MoS2 coverage approaches the limit of a complete single layer, the formation of bilayer MoS2 islands is initiated. Angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy measurements of both single and bilayer MoS2 samples show a dramatic change in their band structure around the center of the Brillouin zone. Brief exposure to air after removing the MoS2 layer from vacuum is not found to affect its quality.

Morphology and Viability of Pleistocene Microbiota from the CRREL Permafrost Tunnel Near Fox, Alaska

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hoover, Richard B.

2000-01-01

The U. S. Army Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory maintains the CRREL Permafrost Tunnel at Fox, Alaska (-10 miles north of Fairbanks.) The active microbial ecosystems and the cryopreserved anabiotic viable microorganisms and dead microbial remains and biomarkers frozen within the permafrost and ice of the CRREL Permafrost Tunnel are of direct relevance to Astrobiology. Microbial extremophiles from permafrost and ice provide information concerning where and how should we search for evidence of life elsewhere in the Cosmos. The permafrost and ice wedges of the Fox tunnel preserves a magnificent of record of Pliocene, Pleistocene and Holocene life on Earth spanning more than 2.5 million years. This record includes frozen fossil bacteria, archaea, algae, mosses, higher plants, insects and mammals. In this paper we present the preliminary results of studies of the morphology, ultramicrostructure and elemental distributions of Fox tunnel microbiota as determined in-situ by the Environmental Scanning Electron Microscope (ESEM) and the Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FESEM) investigations. The long-term viability of cryopreserved microbiota and potential implications to Astrobiology will be discussed.

Postprocessing Algorithm for Driving Conventional Scanning Tunneling Microscope at Fast Scan Rates.

PubMed

Zhang, Hao; Li, Xianqi; Chen, Yunmei; Park, Jewook; Li, An-Ping; Zhang, X-G

2017-01-01

We present an image postprocessing framework for Scanning Tunneling Microscope (STM) to reduce the strong spurious oscillations and scan line noise at fast scan rates and preserve the features, allowing an order of magnitude increase in the scan rate without upgrading the hardware. The proposed method consists of two steps for large scale images and four steps for atomic scale images. For large scale images, we first apply for each line an image registration method to align the forward and backward scans of the same line. In the second step we apply a "rubber band" model which is solved by a novel Constrained Adaptive and Iterative Filtering Algorithm (CIAFA). The numerical results on measurement from copper(111) surface indicate the processed images are comparable in accuracy to data obtained with a slow scan rate, but are free of the scan drift error commonly seen in slow scan data. For atomic scale images, an additional first step to remove line-by-line strong background fluctuations and a fourth step of replacing the postprocessed image by its ranking map as the final atomic resolution image are required. The resulting image restores the lattice image that is nearly undetectable in the original fast scan data.

The scanning tunnelling microscope as an operative tool: doing physics and chemistry with single atoms and molecules.

PubMed

Rieder, Karl-Heinz; Meyer, Gerhard; Hla, Saw-Wai; Moresco, Francesca; Braun, Kai F; Morgenstern, Karina; Repp, Jascha; Foelsch, Stefan; Bartels, Ludwig

2004-06-15

The scanning tunnelling microscope, initially invented to image surfaces down to the atomic scale, has been further developed in the last few years to an operative tool, with which atoms and molecules can be manipulated at will at low substrate temperatures in different manners to create and investigate artificial structures, whose properties can be investigated employing spectroscopic dI/dV measurements. The tunnelling current can be used to selectively break chemical bonds, but also to induce chemical association. These possibilities give rise to startling new opportunities for physical and chemical experiments on the single atom and single molecule level. Here we provide a short overview on recent results obtained with these techniques.

Fundamental quantum noise mapping with tunnelling microscopes tested at surface structures of subatomic lateral size.

PubMed

Herz, Markus; Bouvron, Samuel; Ćavar, Elizabeta; Fonin, Mikhail; Belzig, Wolfgang; Scheer, Elke

2013-10-21

We present a measurement scheme that enables quantitative detection of the shot noise in a scanning tunnelling microscope while scanning the sample. As test objects we study defect structures produced on an iridium single crystal at low temperatures. The defect structures appear in the constant current images as protrusions with curvature radii well below the atomic diameter. The measured power spectral density of the noise is very near to the quantum limit with Fano factor F = 1. While the constant current images show detailed structures expected for tunnelling involving d-atomic orbitals of Ir, we find the current noise to be without pronounced spatial variation as expected for shot noise arising from statistically independent events.

Development of micro-four-point probe in a scanning tunneling microscope for in situ electrical transport measurement.

PubMed

Ge, Jian-Feng; Liu, Zhi-Long; Gao, Chun-Lei; Qian, Dong; Liu, Canhua; Jia, Jin-Feng

2015-05-01

Electrons at surface may behave differently from those in bulk of a material. Multi-functional tools are essential in comprehensive studies on a crystal surface. Here, we developed an in situ microscopic four-point probe (4PP) transport measurement system on the basis of a scanning tunneling microscope (STM). In particular, convenient replacement between STM tips and micro-4PPs enables systematic investigations of surface morphology, electronic structure, and electrical transport property of a same sample surface. Performances of the instrument are demonstrated with high-quality STM images, tunneling spectra, and low-noise electrical I-V characteristic curves of a single-layer FeSe film grown on a conductive SrTiO3 surface.

Density-matrix approach for the electroluminescence of molecules in a scanning tunneling microscope.

PubMed

Tian, Guangjun; Liu, Ji-Cai; Luo, Yi

2011-04-29

The electroluminescence (EL) of molecules confined inside a nanocavity in the scanning tunneling microscope possesses many intriguing but unexplained features. We present here a general theoretical approach based on the density-matrix formalism to describe the EL from molecules near a metal surface induced by both electron tunneling and localized surface plasmon excitations simultaneously. It reveals the underlying physical mechanism for the external bias dependent EL. The important role played by the localized surface plasmon on the EL is highlighted. Calculations for porphyrin derivatives have reproduced corresponding experimental spectra and nicely explained the observed unusual large variation of emission spectral profiles. This general theoretical approach can find many applications in the design of molecular electronic and photonic devices.

Scanning tunneling microscopy studies of Si donors (Si[sub Ga]) in GaAs

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zheng, J.F.; Liu, X.; Newman, N.

1994-03-07

We report scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) studies of Si substitutional donors (Si[sub Ga]) in GaAs that reveal delocalized and localized electronic features corresponding to Si[sub Ga] in the top few layers of the (110) cleavage surface. The delocalized features appear as protrusions a few nm in size, superimposed on the background lattice. These features are attributed to enhanced tunneling due to the local perturbation of the band bending by the Coulomb potential of subsurface Si[sub Ga]. In contrast, STM images of surface Si[sub Ga] show very localized electronic structures, in good agreement with a recent theoretical prediction [J. Wang [italmore » et] [ital al]., Phys. Rev. B 47, 10 329 (1993)].« less

Cryogenic scanning tunneling microscope with a magnetic coarse approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davydov, D. N.; Deltour, R.; Horii, N.; Timofeev, V. A.; Grokholski, A. S.

1993-11-01

A compact, rigid, and reliable cryogenic scanning tunneling microscope (CSTM) with a vertical electromagnetic coarse approach system was developed. This device can be used for topographic and local tunneling spectroscopy studies at liquid nitrogen and helium temperatures. Minimal step sizes of 28 nm for the electromagnetic translation device were achieved. The additional possibility of a coarse approach operation in the inertial slip-stick mode, without electromagnets, was successfully tested, making this STM compatible with external magnetic fields. A simple technique for characterizing the STM rigidity has been developed. Preliminary data, taken with this instrument are presented, demonstrating the achievement, at liquid helium temperature, of atomic resolution for topographic studies, and also the possibility of measuring simultaneously superconducting energy gap spectra.

Fast two-dimensional grid and transmission X-ray microscopy scanning methods for visualizing and characterizing protein crystals

PubMed Central

Wojdyla, Justyna Aleksandra; Panepucci, Ezequiel; Martiel, Isabelle; Ebner, Simon; Huang, Chia-Ying; Caffrey, Martin; Bunk, Oliver; Wang, Meitian

2016-01-01

A fast continuous grid scan protocol has been incorporated into the Swiss Light Source (SLS) data acquisition and analysis software suite on the macromolecular crystallography (MX) beamlines. Its combination with fast readout single-photon counting hybrid pixel array detectors (PILATUS and EIGER) allows for diffraction-based identification of crystal diffraction hotspots and the location and centering of membrane protein microcrystals in the lipid cubic phase (LCP) in in meso in situ serial crystallography plates and silicon nitride supports. Diffraction-based continuous grid scans with both still and oscillation images are supported. Examples that include a grid scan of a large (50 nl) LCP bolus and analysis of the resulting diffraction images are presented. Scanning transmission X-ray microscopy (STXM) complements and benefits from fast grid scanning. STXM has been demonstrated at the SLS beamline X06SA for near-zero-dose detection of protein crystals mounted on different types of sample supports at room and cryogenic temperatures. Flash-cooled crystals in nylon loops were successfully identified in differential and integrated phase images. Crystals of just 10 µm thickness were visible in integrated phase images using data collected with the EIGER detector. STXM offers a truly low-dose method for locating crystals on solid supports prior to diffraction data collection at both synchrotron microfocusing and free-electron laser X-ray facilities. PMID:27275141

Tunneling Evidence of Half-Metallic Ferromagnetism in La(0.7)Ca(0.3)MnO(3)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wei, J. Y. T.; Yeh, N. C.; Vasquez, R. P.

1997-01-01

Direct experimental evidence of half-metallic density of states (DOS) is observed by scanning tunneling spectroscopy on ferromagnetic La(0.7)Ca(0.3)MnO(3) which exhibits colossal magnetoresistance (SMR).

Tunnel Detection Using Seismic Methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miller, R.; Park, C. B.; Xia, J.; Ivanov, J.; Steeples, D. W.; Ryden, N.; Ballard, R. F.; Llopis, J. L.; Anderson, T. S.; Moran, M. L.; Ketcham, S. A.

2006-05-01

Surface seismic methods have shown great promise for use in detecting clandestine tunnels in areas where unauthorized movement beneath secure boundaries have been or are a matter of concern for authorities. Unauthorized infiltration beneath national borders and into or out of secure facilities is possible at many sites by tunneling. Developments in acquisition, processing, and analysis techniques using multi-channel seismic imaging have opened the door to a vast number of near-surface applications including anomaly detection and delineation, specifically tunnels. Body waves have great potential based on modeling and very preliminary empirical studies trying to capitalize on diffracted energy. A primary limitation of all seismic energy is the natural attenuation of high-frequency energy by earth materials and the difficulty in transmitting a high- amplitude source pulse with a broad spectrum above 500 Hz into the earth. Surface waves have shown great potential since the development of multi-channel analysis methods (e.g., MASW). Both shear-wave velocity and backscatter energy from surface waves have been shown through modeling and empirical studies to have great promise in detecting the presence of anomalies, such as tunnels. Success in developing and evaluating various seismic approaches for detecting tunnels relies on investigations at known tunnel locations, in a variety of geologic settings, employing a wide range of seismic methods, and targeting a range of uniquely different tunnel geometries, characteristics, and host lithologies. Body-wave research at the Moffat tunnels in Winter Park, Colorado, provided well-defined diffraction-looking events that correlated with the subsurface location of the tunnel complex. Natural voids related to karst have been studied in Kansas, Oklahoma, Alabama, and Florida using shear-wave velocity imaging techniques based on the MASW approach. Manmade tunnels, culverts, and crawl spaces have been the target of multi-modal analysis in Kansas and California. Clandestine tunnels used for illegal entry into the U.S. from Mexico were studied at two different sites along the southern border of California. All these studies represent the empirical basis for suggesting surface seismic has a significant role to play in tunnel detection and that methods are under development and very nearly at hand that will provide an effective tool in appraising and maintaining parameter security. As broadband sources, gravity-coupled towed spreads, and automated analysis software continues to make advancements, so does the applicability of routine deployment of seismic imaging systems that can be operated by technicians with interpretation aids for nearly real-time target selection. Key to making these systems commercial is the development of enhanced imaging techniques in geologically noisy areas and highly variable surface terrain.

Multiple-scanning-probe tunneling microscope with nanoscale positional recognition function.

PubMed

Higuchi, Seiji; Kuramochi, Hiromi; Laurent, Olivier; Komatsubara, Takashi; Machida, Shinichi; Aono, Masakazu; Obori, Kenichi; Nakayama, Tomonobu

2010-07-01

Over the past decade, multiple-scanning-probe microscope systems with independently controlled probes have been developed for nanoscale electrical measurements. We developed a quadruple-scanning-probe tunneling microscope (QSPTM) that can determine and control the probe position through scanning-probe imaging. The difficulty of operating multiple probes with submicrometer precision drastically increases with the number of probes. To solve problems such as determining the relative positions of the probes and avoiding of contact between the probes, we adopted sample-scanning methods to obtain four images simultaneously and developed an original control system for QSPTM operation with a function of automatic positional recognition. These improvements make the QSPTM a more practical and useful instrument since four images can now be reliably produced, and consequently the positioning of the four probes becomes easier owing to the reduced chance of accidental contact between the probes.

A high-stability scanning tunneling microscope achieved by an isolated tiny scanner with low voltage imaging capability.

PubMed

Wang, Qi; Hou, Yubin; Wang, Junting; Lu, Qingyou

2013-11-01

We present a novel homebuilt scanning tunneling microscope (STM) with high quality atomic resolution. It is equipped with a small but powerful GeckoDrive piezoelectric motor which drives a miniature and detachable scanning part to implement coarse approach. The scanning part is a tiny piezoelectric tube scanner (industry type: PZT-8, whose d31 coefficient is one of the lowest) housed in a slightly bigger polished sapphire tube, which is riding on and spring clamped against the knife edges of a tungsten slot. The STM so constructed shows low back-lashing and drifting and high repeatability and immunity to external vibrations. These are confirmed by its low imaging voltages, low distortions in the spiral scanned images, and high atomic resolution quality even when the STM is placed on the ground of the fifth floor without any external or internal vibration isolation devices.

Press-fit fixation using autologous bone in the tibial canal causes less enlargement of bone tunnel diameter in ACL reconstruction--a CT scan analysis three months postoperatively.

PubMed

Akoto, Ralph; Müller-Hübenthal, Jonas; Balke, Maurice; Albers, Malte; Bouillon, Bertil; Helm, Philip; Banerjee, Marc; Höher, Jürgen

2015-08-19

Bone tunnel enlargement is a phenomenon present in all anterior cruciate ligament (ACL)- reconstruction techniques. It was hypothesized that press-fit fixation using a free autograft bone plug reduces the overall tunnel size in the tibial tunnel. In a prospective cohort study twelve patients who underwent primary ACL reconstruction using an autologous quadriceps tendon graft and adding a free bone block for press-fit fixation (PF) in the tibial tunnel were matched to twelve patients who underwent ACL reconstruction with a hamstring graft and interference screw fixation (IF). The diameters of the bone tunnels were analysed by a multiplanar reconstruction technique (MPR) in a CT scan three months postoperatively. Manual and instrumental laxity (Lachman test, Pivot-shift test, Rolimeter) and functional outcome scores (International Knee Documentation Committee sore, Tegner activity level) were measured after one year follow up. In the PF group the mean bone tunnel diameter at the level of the joint entrance was not significantly enlarged. One and two centimeter distal to the bone tunnel diameter was reduced by 15% (p = .001). In the IF group the bone tunnel at the level of the joint entrance was enlarged by 14% (p = .001). One and two centimeter distal to the joint line the IF group showed a widening of the bone tunnel by 21% (p < .001) One and two centimeter below the joint line the bone tunnel was smaller in the PF group when compared to the IF group (p < .001). No significant difference for laxity test and functional outcome scores could be shown. This study demonstrates that press-fit fixation with free autologous bone plugs in the tibial tunnel results in significantly smaller diameter of the tibial tunnel compared to interference screw fixation.

Scanning tunneling microscopy investigation of copper phthalocyanine and truxenone derivative binary superstructures on graphite.

PubMed

Liu, Jia; Wang, Dong; Wang, Jie-Yu; Pei, Jian; Wan, Li-Jun

2011-02-01

The binary self-assembly of copper phthalocyanine (CuPc) and 2,3,7,8,12,13-hexahexyloxy-truxenone (TrO23) at the solid/liquid interface of highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) was investigated by using scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and scanning tunneling spectroscopy (STS). Pseduohexagonal and linear patterned superstructures of CuPc are obtained by co-adsorbing with TrO23. High-resolution STM images reveal the structural details of the arrangement of TrO23 and CuPc in the binary assembly structures. The molecular ratio between CuPc and TrO23 in the adlayer can be modulated by the CuPc concentration in liquid phase. The electronic properties of CuPc and TrO23 in the co-adsorbed self-assembly are investigated by STS. The results presented here are helpful to the design and fabrication of multi-component functional molecular nanostructures. Copyright © 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Unravelling the molecular structure and packing of a planar molecule by combining nuclear magnetic resonance and scanning tunneling microscopy.

PubMed

Sáfar, Gustavo A M; Malachias, Angelo; Magalhães-Paniago, Rogério; Martins, Dayse C S; Idemori, Ynara M

2013-12-21

The determination of the molecular structure of a porphyrin is achieved by using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) techniques. Since macroscopic crystals cannot be obtained in this system, this combination of techniques is crucial to solve the molecular structure without the need for X-ray crystallography. For this purpose, previous knowledge of the flatness of the reagent molecules (a porphyrin and its functionalizing group, a naphthalimide) and the resulting molecular structure obtained by a force-field simulation are used. The exponents of the I-V curves obtained by scanning tunneling spectroscopy (STS) allow us to check whether the thickness of the film of molecules is greater than a monolayer, even when there is no direct access to the exposed surface of the metal substrate. Photoluminescence (PL), optical absorption, infrared (IR) reflectance and solubility tests are used to confirm the results obtained here with this NMR/STM/STS combination.

Localized electronic structures of graphene oxide studied using scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy.

PubMed

Katano, Satoshi; Wei, Tao; Sasajima, Takumi; Kasama, Ryuhei; Uehara, Yoichi

2018-06-21

We have used scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) to elucidate the nanoscale electronic structures of graphene oxide (GO). The unreduced GO layer was imaged using STM without reduction processes when deposited on a Au(111) surface covered with an octanethiolate self-assembled monolayer (C8S-SAM). The STM image of the GO sheet exhibits a grainy structure having a thickness of about 1 nm, which is in good agreement with the previous results obtained using atomic force microscopy (AFM). We found that the C8S-SAM suppresses the adsorption of water remaining on the substrate, which would be important to accomplish the nanoscale imaging of the unreduced GO by STM. Furthermore, we successfully detected the π and π* states localized in the GO sheet using scanning tunneling spectroscopy (STS). The π-π* gap energy and the gap center are not uniform within the GO sheet, indicating the existence of various sizes of the sp2 domain and evidence for the local electronic doping by the substituents.

The Assembling of Poly (3-Octyl-Thiophene) on CVD Grown Single Layer Graphene

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiang, Yanqiu; Yang, Ling; Guo, Zongxia; Lei, Shengbin

2015-12-01

The interface between organic semiconductor and graphene electrode, especially the structure of the first few molecular layers at the interface, is crucial for the device properties such as the charge transport in organic field effect transistors. In this work, we have used scanning tunneling microscopy to investigate the poly (3-octyl-thiophene) (P3OT)-graphene interface. Our results reveal the dynamic assembling of P3OT on single layer graphene. As on other substrates the epitaxial effect plays a role in determining the orientation of the P3OT assembling, however, the inter-thiophene distance along the backbone is consistent with that optimized in vaccum, no compression was observed. Adsorption of P3OT on ripples is weaker due to local curvature, which has been verified both by scanning tunneling microscopy and density functional theory simulation. Scanning tunneling microscopy also reveals that P3OT tends to form hairpin folds when meets a ripple.

Differentiating Amino Acid Residues and Side Chain Orientations in Peptides Using Scanning Tunneling Microscopy

PubMed Central

Claridge, Shelley A.; Thomas, John C.; Silverman, Miles A.; Schwartz, Jeffrey J.; Yang, Yanlian; Wang, Chen; Weiss, Paul S.

2014-01-01

Single-molecule measurements of complex biological structures such as proteins are an attractive route for determining structures of the large number of important biomolecules that have proved refractory to analysis through standard techniques such as X-ray crystallography and nuclear magnetic resonance. We use a custom-built low-current scanning tunneling microscope to image peptide structure at the single-molecule scale in a model peptide that forms β sheets, a structural motif common in protein misfolding diseases. We successfully differentiate between histidine and alanine amino acid residues, and further differentiate side chain orientations in individual histidine residues, by correlating features in scanning tunneling microscope images with those in energy-optimized models. Beta sheets containing histidine residues are used as a model system due to the role histidine plays in transition metal binding associated with amyloid oligomerization in Alzheimer’s and other diseases. Such measurements are a first step toward analyzing peptide and protein structures at the single-molecule level. PMID:24219245

Super-resolution imaging by resonant tunneling in anisotropic acoustic metamaterials.

PubMed

Liu, Aiping; Zhou, Xiaoming; Huang, Guoliang; Hu, Gengkai

2012-10-01

The resonant tunneling effects that could result in complete transmission of evanescent waves are examined in acoustic metamaterials of anisotropic effective mass. The tunneling conditions are first derived for the metamaterials composed of classical mass-in-mass structures. It is found that the tunneling transmission occurs when the total length of metamaterials is an integral number of half-wavelengths of the periodic Bloch wave. Due to the local resonance of building units of metamaterials, the Bloch waves are spatially modulated within the periodic structures, leading to the resonant tunneling occurring in the low-frequency region. The metamaterial slab lens with anisotropic effective mass is designed by which the physics of resonant tunneling and the features for evanescent field manipulations are examined. The designed lens interacts with evanescent waves in the way of the propagating wavenumber weakly dependent on the spatial frequency of evanescent waves. Full-wave simulations validate the imaging performance of the proposed lens with the spatial resolution beyond the diffraction limit.

Growth of single-layer graphene on Ge (1 0 0) by chemical vapor deposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mendoza, C. D.; Caldas, P. G.; Freire, F. L.; Maia da Costa, M. E. H.

2018-07-01

The integration of graphene into nanoelectronic devices is dependent on the availability of direct deposition processes, which can provide uniform, large-area and high-quality graphene on semiconductor substrates such as Ge or Si. In this work, we synthesised graphene directly on p-type Ge (1 0 0) substrates by chemical vapour deposition. The influence of the CH4:H2 flow ratio on the graphene growth was investigated. Raman Spectroscopy, Raman mapping, Scanning Electron Microscopy, Atomic Force Microscopy and Scanning Tunnelling Microscopy/Scanning Tunnelling Spectroscopy results showed that good quality and homogeneous monolayer graphene over a large area can be achieved on Ge substrates directly with optimal growth conditions.

Fabrication of [001]-oriented tungsten tips for high resolution scanning tunneling microscopy

PubMed Central

Chaika, A. N.; Orlova, N. N.; Semenov, V. N.; Postnova, E. Yu.; Krasnikov, S. A.; Lazarev, M. G.; Chekmazov, S. V.; Aristov, V. Yu.; Glebovsky, V. G.; Bozhko, S. I.; Shvets, I. V.

2014-01-01

The structure of the [001]-oriented single crystalline tungsten probes sharpened in ultra-high vacuum using electron beam heating and ion sputtering has been studied using scanning and transmission electron microscopy. The electron microscopy data prove reproducible fabrication of the single-apex tips with nanoscale pyramids grained by the {011} planes at the apexes. These sharp, [001]-oriented tungsten tips have been successfully utilized in high resolution scanning tunneling microscopy imaging of HOPG(0001), SiC(001) and graphene/SiC(001) surfaces. The electron microscopy characterization performed before and after the high resolution STM experiments provides direct correlation between the tip structure and picoscale spatial resolution achieved in the experiments. PMID:24434734

Note: Electron energy spectroscopy mapping of surface with scanning tunneling microscope.

PubMed

Li, Meng; Xu, Chunkai; Zhang, Panke; Li, Zhean; Chen, Xiangjun

2016-08-01

We report a novel scanning probe electron energy spectrometer (SPEES) which combines a double toroidal analyzer with a scanning tunneling microscope to achieve both topography imaging and electron energy spectroscopy mapping of surface in situ. The spatial resolution of spectroscopy mapping is determined to be better than 0.7 ± 0.2 μm at a tip sample distance of 7 μm. Meanwhile, the size of the field emission electron beam spot on the surface is also measured, and is about 3.6 ± 0.8 μm in diameter. This unambiguously demonstrates that the spatial resolution of SPEES technique can be much better than the size of the incident electron beam.

Panoramic Scanning: Essential Element of Higher-Order Thought.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ambrose, Don

1996-01-01

Panoramic scanning is the capacity to perceive, interpret, and appreciate complex problems from a big-picture vantage point. Barriers to panoramic scanning (sensory bombardment, superficial polarized thought, and tunnel vision) and facilitators (broad interests and knowledge, pattern finding, and connection-making skills) are identified. Educators…

An ultrahigh vacuum fast-scanning and variable temperature scanning tunneling microscope for large scale imaging.

PubMed

Diaconescu, Bogdan; Nenchev, Georgi; de la Figuera, Juan; Pohl, Karsten

2007-10-01

We describe the design and performance of a fast-scanning, variable temperature scanning tunneling microscope (STM) operating from 80 to 700 K in ultrahigh vacuum (UHV), which routinely achieves large scale atomically resolved imaging of compact metallic surfaces. An efficient in-vacuum vibration isolation and cryogenic system allows for no external vibration isolation of the UHV chamber. The design of the sample holder and STM head permits imaging of the same nanometer-size area of the sample before and after sample preparation outside the STM base. Refractory metal samples are frequently annealed up to 2000 K and their cooldown time from room temperature to 80 K is 15 min. The vertical resolution of the instrument was found to be about 2 pm at room temperature. The coarse motor design allows both translation and rotation of the scanner tube. The total scanning area is about 8 x 8 microm(2). The sample temperature can be adjusted by a few tens of degrees while scanning over the same sample area.

Substrate nitridation induced modulations in transport properties of wurtzite GaN/p-Si (100) heterojunctions grown by molecular beam epitaxy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bhat, Thirumaleshwara N.; Rajpalke, Mohana K.; Krupanidhi, S. B.

Phase pure wurtzite GaN films were grown on Si (100) substrates by introducing a silicon nitride layer followed by low temperature GaN growth as buffer layers. GaN films grown directly on Si (100) were found to be phase mixtured, containing both cubic ({beta}) and hexagonal ({alpha}) modifications. The x-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy studies reveal that the significant enhancement in the structural as well as in the optical properties of GaN films grown with silicon nitride buffer layer grown at 800 deg. C when compared to the samples grown in the absence of silicon nitridemore » buffer layer and with silicon nitride buffer layer grown at 600 deg. C. Core-level photoelectron spectroscopy of Si{sub x}N{sub y} layers reveals the sources for superior qualities of GaN epilayers grown with the high temperature substrate nitridation process. The discussion has been carried out on the typical inverted rectification behavior exhibited by n-GaN/p-Si heterojunctions. Considerable modulation in the transport mechanism was observed with the nitridation conditions. The heterojunction fabricated with the sample of substrate nitridation at high temperature exhibited superior rectifying nature with reduced trap concentrations. Lowest ideality factors ({approx}1.5) were observed in the heterojunctions grown with high temperature substrate nitridation which is attributed to the recombination tunneling at the space charge region transport mechanism at lower voltages and at higher voltages space charge limited current conduction is the dominating transport mechanism. Whereas, thermally generated carrier tunneling and recombination tunneling are the dominating transport mechanisms in the heterojunctions grown without substrate nitridation and low temperature substrate nitridation, respectively.« less

A compact sub-Kelvin ultrahigh vacuum scanning tunneling microscope with high energy resolution and high stability.

PubMed

Zhang, L; Miyamachi, T; Tomanić, T; Dehm, R; Wulfhekel, W

2011-10-01

We designed a scanning tunneling microscope working at sub-Kelvin temperatures in ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) in order to study the magnetic properties on the nanoscale. An entirely homebuilt three-stage cryostat is used to cool down the microscope head. The first stage is cooled with liquid nitrogen, the second stage with liquid (4)He. The third stage uses a closed-cycle Joule-Thomson refrigerator of a cooling power of 1 mW. A base temperature of 930 mK at the microscope head was achieved using expansion of (4)He, which can be reduced to ≈400 mK when using (3)He. The cryostat has a low liquid helium consumption of only 38 ml/h and standing times of up to 280 h. The fast cooling down of the samples (3 h) guarantees high sample throughput. Test experiments with a superconducting tip show a high energy resolution of 0.3 meV when performing scanning tunneling spectroscopy. The vertical stability of the tunnel junction is well below 1 pm (peak to peak) and the electric noise floor of tunneling current is about 6fA/√Hz. Atomic resolution with a tunneling current of 1 pA and 1 mV was achieved on Au(111). The lateral drift of the microscope at stable temperature is below 20 pm/h. A superconducting spilt-coil magnet allows to apply an out-of-plane magnetic field of up to 3 T at the sample surface. The flux vortices of a Nb(110) sample were clearly resolved in a map of differential conductance at 1.1 K and a magnetic field of 0.21 T. The setup is designed for in situ preparation of tip and samples under UHV condition.

Quasi-parallel precession diffraction: Alignment method for scanning transmission electron microscopes.

PubMed

Plana-Ruiz, S; Portillo, J; Estradé, S; Peiró, F; Kolb, Ute; Nicolopoulos, S

2018-06-06

A general method to set illuminating conditions for selectable beam convergence and probe size is presented in this work for Transmission Electron Microscopes (TEM) fitted with µs/pixel fast beam scanning control, (S)TEM, and an annular dark field detector. The case of interest of beam convergence and probe size, which enables diffraction pattern indexation, is then used as a starting point in this work to add 100 Hz precession to the beam while imaging the specimen at a fast rate and keeping the projector system in diffraction mode. The described systematic alignment method for the adjustment of beam precession on the specimen plane while scanning at fast rates is mainly based on the sharpness of the precessed STEM image. The complete alignment method for parallel condition and precession, Quasi-Parallel PED-STEM, is presented in block diagram scheme, as it has been tested on a variety of instruments. The immediate application of this methodology is that it renders the TEM column ready for the acquisition of Precessed Electron Diffraction Tomographies (EDT) as well as for the acquisition of slow Precessed Scanning Nanometer Electron Diffraction (SNED). Examples of the quality of the Precessed Electron Diffraction (PED) patterns and PED-STEM alignment images are presented with corresponding probe sizes and convergence angles. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Comparative studies of the structure, morphology and electrical conductivity of polyaniline weakly doped with chlorocarboxylic acids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gmati, Fethi; Fattoum, Arbi; Bohli, Nadra; Dhaoui, Wadia; Belhadj Mohamed, Abdellatif

2007-08-01

We report the results of studies on two series of polyaniline (PANI), doped with dichloroacetic (DCA) and trichloroacetic (TCA) acids, respectively, at various doping rates and obtained by the in situ polymerization method. Samples were characterized by x-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and conductivity measurements. The direct current (dc) and alternating current (ac) electrical conductivities of PANI salts have been investigated in the temperature range 100-310 K and frequency range 7-106 Hz. The results of this study indicate better chain ordering and higher conductivity for PANI doped with TCA. The dc conductivity of all samples is suitably fitted to Mott's three-dimensional variable-range hopping (VRH) model. Different Mott parameters such as characteristic temperature T0, density of states at the Fermi level (N(EF)), average hopping energy (W) and the average hopping distance (R) have been evaluated. The dependence of such values on the dopant acid used is discussed. At high frequencies, the ac conductivity follows the power law σac(ω,T) = A(T)ωs(T,ω), which is characteristic for charge transport in disordered materials by hopping or tunnelling processes. The observed increase in the frequency exponent s with temperature suggests that the small-polaron tunnelling model best describes the dominant ac conduction mechanism. A direct correlation between conductivity, structure and morphology was obtained in our systems.

On-Surface Synthesis and Characterization of 9-Atom Wide Armchair Graphene Nanoribbons

DOE PAGES

Talirz, Leopold; Söde, Hajo; Dumslaff, Tim; ...

2017-01-27

The bottom-up approach to synthesize graphene nanoribbons strives not only to introduce a band gap into the electronic structure of graphene but also to accurately tune its value by designing both the width and edge structure of the ribbons with atomic precision. Within this paper, we report the synthesis of an armchair graphene nanoribbon with a width of nine carbon atoms on Au(111) through surface-assisted aryl–aryl coupling and subsequent cyclodehydrogenation of a properly chosen molecular precursor. By combining high-resolution atomic force microscopy, scanning tunneling microscopy, and Raman spectroscopy, we demonstrate that the atomic structure of the fabricated ribbons is exactlymore » as designed. Angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy and Fourier-transformed scanning tunneling spectroscopy reveal an electronic band gap of 1.4 eV and effective masses of ≈0.1 m e for both electrons and holes, constituting a substantial improvement over previous efforts toward the development of transistor applications. We use ab initio calculations to gain insight into the dependence of the Raman spectra on excitation wavelength as well as to rationalize the symmetry-dependent contribution of the ribbons’ electronic states to the tunneling current. Lastly, we propose a simple rule for the visibility of frontier electronic bands of armchair graphene nanoribbons in scanning tunneling spectroscopy.« less

Newly developed low-temperature scanning tunneling microscope and its application to the study of superconducting materials

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gao, F.; Dai, C.; Chen, Z.

1994-05-01

A newly developed scanning tunneling microscope (STM) capable of operating at room temperature, 77 K, and 4.2 K is presented. This compact STM has a highly symmetric and rigid tunneling unit designed as an integral frame except the coarse and fine adjustment parts. The tunneling unit is incorporated into a small vacuum chamber that is usually pumped down to 2[times]10[sup [minus]4] Pa to avoid water contamination. The fine mechanic adjustment makes the tip approach the sample in 5 nm steps. The coarse adjustment not only changes the distance between the tip and the sample, but also adjusts the tip tomore » be normal to the surface of the sample. With this low-temperature STM atomic resolution images of Bi-2212 single-crystal and large-scale topographies of a YBa[sub 2]Cu[sub 3]O[sub 7] thin film are observed at 77 K.« less

Tunneling Mode of Scanning Electrochemical Microscopy: Probing Electrochemical Processes at Single Nanoparticles.

PubMed

Sun, Tong; Wang, Dengchao; Mirkin, Michael V

2018-06-18

Electrochemical experiments at individual nanoparticles (NPs) can provide new insights into their structure-activity relationships. By using small nanoelectrodes as tips in a scanning electrochemical microscope (SECM), we recently imaged individual surface-bound 10-50 nm metal NPs. Herein, we introduce a new mode of SECM operation based on tunneling between the tip and a nanoparticle immobilized on the insulating surface. The obtained current vs. distance curves show the transition from the conventional feedback response to electron tunneling between the tip and the NP at separation distances of less than about 3 nm. In addition to high-resolution imaging of the NP topography, the tunneling mode enables measurement of the heterogeneous kinetics at a single NP without making an ohmic contact with it. The developed method should be useful for studying the effects of nanoparticle size and geometry on electrocatalytic activity in real-world applications. © 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Tunneling electron induced chemisorption of copper phthalocyanine molecules on the Cu(111) surface

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Stock, T.; Nogami, J.

2014-02-17

The adsorption of up to one monolayer (ML) of copper phthalocyanine (CuPc) molecules on a room temperature Cu(111) surface has been studied using scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). Below 1 ML the molecules are in a fluid state and are highly mobile on the surface. At 1 ML coverage the molecules coalesce into a highly ordered 2D crystal phase. At sub-ML coverages, chemisorption of individual CuPc molecules can be induced through exposure to tunneling electrons at a tunneling bias voltage exceeding a threshold value. This tunneling electron induced effect has been exploited to perform molecular STM lithography.

Haptic-STM: a human-in-the-loop interface to a scanning tunneling microscope.

PubMed

Perdigão, Luís M A; Saywell, Alex

2011-07-01

The operation of a haptic device interfaced with a scanning tunneling microscope (STM) is presented here. The user moves the STM tip in three dimensions by means of a stylus attached to the haptic instrument. The tunneling current measured by the STM is converted to a vertical force, applied to the stylus and felt by the user, with the user being incorporated into the feedback loop that controls the tip-surface distance. A haptic-STM interface of this nature allows the user to feel atomic features on the surface and facilitates the tactile manipulation of the adsorbate/substrate system. The operation of this device is demonstrated via the room temperature STM imaging of C(60) molecules adsorbed on an Au(111) surface in ultra-high vacuum.

Investigation of local modification and luminescence of a carbon nanotube by scanning tunneling microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Katano, Satoshi; Fujita, Hiroto; Uehara, Yoichi

2018-01-01

We have studied the nanoscale luminescence from a multiwalled carbon nanotube (CNT) adsorbed on Au(111) using a scanning tunneling microscope (STM). STM images revealed that a number of isolated chains of CNTs can be deposited by dry contact transfer while keeping the surface clean. By injecting tunneling electrons from the STM tip to the CNT, we observed STM light emission (STM-LE) from the CNT in the visible-light range, showing electronic transitions between the bands associated with the van Hove singularity in the density of states of the CNT. The STM-LE spectrum was obviously changed after introducing the local defect created by the STM tip, indicating the controllability of the nanoscale luminescence within a single chain of a CNT.

Transfer doping of single isolated nanodiamonds, studied by scanning probe microscopy techniques.

PubMed

Bolker, Asaf; Saguy, Cecile; Kalish, Rafi

2014-09-26

The transfer doping of diamond surfaces has been applied in various novel two-dimensional electronic devices. Its extension to nanodiamonds (ND) is essential for ND-based applications in many fields. In particular, understanding the influence of the crystallite size on transfer doping is desirable. Here, we report the results of a detailed study of the electronic energetic band structure of single, isolated transfer-doped nanodiamonds with nanometric resolution using a combination of scanning tunneling spectroscopy and Kelvin force microscopy measurements. The results show how the band gap, the valence band maximum, the electron affinity and the work function all depend on the ND's size and nanoparticle surface properties. The present analysis, which combines information from both scanning tunneling spectroscopy and Kelvin force microscopy, should be applicable to any nanoparticle or surface that can be measured with scanning probe techniques.

Conductivity map from scanning tunneling potentiometry.

PubMed

Zhang, Hao; Li, Xianqi; Chen, Yunmei; Durand, Corentin; Li, An-Ping; Zhang, X-G

2016-08-01

We present a novel method for extracting two-dimensional (2D) conductivity profiles from large electrochemical potential datasets acquired by scanning tunneling potentiometry of a 2D conductor. The method consists of a data preprocessing procedure to reduce/eliminate noise and a numerical conductivity reconstruction. The preprocessing procedure employs an inverse consistent image registration method to align the forward and backward scans of the same line for each image line followed by a total variation (TV) based image restoration method to obtain a (nearly) noise-free potential from the aligned scans. The preprocessed potential is then used for numerical conductivity reconstruction, based on a TV model solved by accelerated alternating direction method of multiplier. The method is demonstrated on a measurement of the grain boundary of a monolayer graphene, yielding a nearly 10:1 ratio for the grain boundary resistivity over bulk resistivity.

Origin of electrically heterogeneous microstructure in CuO from scanning tunneling spectroscopy study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sarkar, Sudipta; Jana, Pradip Kumar; Chaudhuri, B. K.

2008-04-01

We report electronic structure of the grains and grain boundaries (GBs) of the high permittivity (κ˜104) ceramic CuO from scanning tunneling spectroscopy (STS) studies. The p-type semiconducting character of the CuO grains and insulating behavior of the corresponding GBs, observed from STS studies, have been explained. This type of electrically inhomogeneous microstructure leads to the formation of barrier layer capacitance elements in CuO and, hence, provides an explanation of the colossal-κ response exhibited by CuO.

Current–Voltage Characterization of Individual As-Grown Nanowires Using a Scanning Tunneling Microscope

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Utilizing semiconductor nanowires for (opto)electronics requires exact knowledge of their current–voltage properties. We report accurate on-top imaging and I–V characterization of individual as-grown nanowires, using a subnanometer resolution scanning tunneling microscope with no need for additional microscopy tools, thus allowing versatile application. We form Ohmic contacts to InP and InAs nanowires without any sample processing, followed by quantitative measurements of diameter dependent I–V properties with a very small spread in measured values compared to standard techniques. PMID:24059470

Insulator at the ultrathin limit: MgO on Ag(001).

PubMed

Schintke, S; Messerli, S; Pivetta, M; Patthey, F; Libioulle, L; Stengel, M; De Vita, A; Schneider, W D

2001-12-31

The electronic structure and morphology of ultrathin MgO films epitaxially grown on Ag(001) were investigated using low-temperature scanning tunneling spectroscopy and scanning tunneling microscopy. Layer-resolved differential conductance (dI/dU) measurements reveal that, even at a film thickness of three monolayers, a band gap of about 6 eV is formed corresponding to that of the MgO(001) single-crystal surface. This finding is confirmed by layer-resolved calculations of the local density of states based on density functional theory.

Current-voltage characterization of individual as-grown nanowires using a scanning tunneling microscope.

PubMed

Timm, Rainer; Persson, Olof; Engberg, David L J; Fian, Alexander; Webb, James L; Wallentin, Jesper; Jönsson, Andreas; Borgström, Magnus T; Samuelson, Lars; Mikkelsen, Anders

2013-11-13

Utilizing semiconductor nanowires for (opto)electronics requires exact knowledge of their current-voltage properties. We report accurate on-top imaging and I-V characterization of individual as-grown nanowires, using a subnanometer resolution scanning tunneling microscope with no need for additional microscopy tools, thus allowing versatile application. We form Ohmic contacts to InP and InAs nanowires without any sample processing, followed by quantitative measurements of diameter dependent I-V properties with a very small spread in measured values compared to standard techniques.

Observation and Manipulation of Polymers by Scanning Tunneling and Atomic Force Microscopy

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-07-13

Observation and Manipulation of Polymers by Scanning Tunneling and Atomic Force Microscooy 12. PERSONAL AUTHOR(S) M.M. Dovek, T.R. Albrecht, S.W.J. Kuan, C.A...COUNT FIELD GOP SU8 -GROUP 19. ABSTRACT (Continue on reverse if ncosay and kIti1I by block numbor) ~AM\\~ v~~\\~A Dhe properties of monolayer films of...organic materi s are importantl i--V~ ety of technologies. We have employed the STM and AFM t study’ LanD~ ..-odgett films of a varie ’ty of polymers

Compact scanning tunneling microscope for spin polarization measurements.

PubMed

Kim, Seong Heon; de Lozanne, Alex

2012-10-01

We present a design for a scanning tunneling microscope that operates in ultrahigh vacuum down to liquid helium temperatures in magnetic fields up to 8 T. The main design philosophy is to keep everything compact in order to minimize the consumption of cryogens for initial cool-down and for extended operation. In order to achieve this, new ideas were implemented in the design of the microscope body, dewars, vacuum chamber, manipulators, support frame, and vibration isolation. After a brief description of these designs, the results of initial tests are presented.

Superposition of \\sqrt{13}\\times \\sqrt{13} and 3 × 3 supermodulations in TaS2 probed by scanning tunneling microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fujisawa, Y.; Iwasaki, T.; Fujii, D.; Ohta, S.; Iwashita, J.; Fujita, T.; Nakata, M.; Kishimoto, K.; Demura, S.; Sakata, H.

2018-03-01

We report on a scanning tunnelling microscopy study of TaS2 at 4.2 K. A surface prepared by cleavage showed a superimposed pattern of two types of charge density waves with 3a 0 × 3a 0 and \\sqrt{13}{a}0× \\sqrt{13}{a}0 periodicity, which had never been observed previously. We attribute the superposition to regular stacking of 4H b polytypes or irregular stacking of 2H and 4H b layers.

Note: A quartz cell with Pt single crystal bead electrode for electrochemical scanning tunneling microscope measurements.

PubMed

Xia, Zhigang; Wang, Jihao; Hou, Yubin; Lu, Qingyou

2014-09-01

In this paper, we provide and demonstrate a design of a unique cell with Pt single crystal bead electrode for electrochemical scanning tunneling microscope (ECSTM) measurements. The active metal Pt electrode can be protected from air contamination during the preparation process. The transparency of the cell allows the tip and bead to be aligned by direct observation. Based on this, a new and effective alignment method is introduced. The high-quality bead preparations through this new cell have been confirmed by the ECSTM images of Pt (111).

Self-navigation of a scanning tunneling microscope tip toward a micron-sized graphene sample.

PubMed

Li, Guohong; Luican, Adina; Andrei, Eva Y

2011-07-01

We demonstrate a simple capacitance-based method to quickly and efficiently locate micron-sized conductive samples, such as graphene flakes, on insulating substrates in a scanning tunneling microscope (STM). By using edge recognition, the method is designed to locate and to identify small features when the STM tip is far above the surface, allowing for crash-free search and navigation. The method can be implemented in any STM environment, even at low temperatures and in strong magnetic field, with minimal or no hardware modifications.

Electroluminescence of a polythiophene molecular wire suspended between a metallic surface and the tip of a scanning tunneling microscope.

PubMed

Reecht, Gaël; Scheurer, Fabrice; Speisser, Virginie; Dappe, Yannick J; Mathevet, Fabrice; Schull, Guillaume

2014-01-31

The electroluminescence of a polythiophene wire suspended between a metallic surface and the tip of a scanning tunneling microscope is reported. Under positive sample voltage, the spectral and voltage dependencies of the emitted light are consistent with the fluorescence of the wire junction mediated by localized plasmons. This emission is strongly attenuated for the opposite polarity. Both emission mechanism and polarity dependence are similar to what occurs in organic light emitting diodes (OLED) but at the level of a single molecular wire.

Coupling scanning tunneling microscope and supersonic molecular beams: a unique tool for in situ investigation of the morphology of activated systems.

PubMed

Smerieri, M; Reichelt, R; Savio, L; Vattuone, L; Rocca, M

2012-09-01

We report here on a new experimental apparatus combining a commercial low temperature scanning tunneling microscope with a supersonic molecular beam. This setup provides a unique tool for the in situ investigation of the topography of activated adsorption systems and opens thus new interesting perspectives. It has been tested towards the formation of the O/Ag(110) added rows reconstruction and of their hydroxylation, comparing data recorded upon O(2) exposure at thermal and hyperthermal energies.

Atomic force microscope-assisted scanning tunneling spectroscopy under ambient conditions.

PubMed

Vakhshouri, Amin; Hashimoto, Katsushi; Hirayama, Yoshiro

2014-12-01

We have developed a method of atomic force microscopy (AFM)-assisted scanning tunneling spectroscopy (STS) under ambient conditions. An AFM function is used for rapid access to a selected position prior to performing STS. The AFM feedback is further used to suppress vertical thermal drift of the tip-sample distance during spectroscopy, enabling flexible and stable spectroscopy measurements at room temperature. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Japanese Society of Microscopy. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Postprocessing Algorithm for Driving Conventional Scanning Tunneling Microscope at Fast Scan Rates

PubMed Central

Zhang, Hao; Li, Xianqi; Park, Jewook; Li, An-Ping

2017-01-01

We present an image postprocessing framework for Scanning Tunneling Microscope (STM) to reduce the strong spurious oscillations and scan line noise at fast scan rates and preserve the features, allowing an order of magnitude increase in the scan rate without upgrading the hardware. The proposed method consists of two steps for large scale images and four steps for atomic scale images. For large scale images, we first apply for each line an image registration method to align the forward and backward scans of the same line. In the second step we apply a “rubber band” model which is solved by a novel Constrained Adaptive and Iterative Filtering Algorithm (CIAFA). The numerical results on measurement from copper(111) surface indicate the processed images are comparable in accuracy to data obtained with a slow scan rate, but are free of the scan drift error commonly seen in slow scan data. For atomic scale images, an additional first step to remove line-by-line strong background fluctuations and a fourth step of replacing the postprocessed image by its ranking map as the final atomic resolution image are required. The resulting image restores the lattice image that is nearly undetectable in the original fast scan data. PMID:29362664

Scanning Tunneling Optical Resonance Microscopy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bailey, Sheila; Wilt, Dave; Raffaelle, Ryne; Gennett, Tom; Tin, Padetha; Lau, Janice; Castro, Stephanie; Jenkins, Philip; Scheiman, Dave

2003-01-01

Scanning tunneling optical resonance microscopy (STORM) is a method, now undergoing development, for measuring optoelectronic properties of materials and devices on the nanoscale by means of a combination of (1) traditional scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) with (2) tunable laser spectroscopy. In STORM, an STM tip probing a semiconductor is illuminated with modulated light at a wavelength in the visible-to-near-infrared range and the resulting photoenhancement of the tunneling current is measured as a function of the illuminating wavelength. The photoenhancement of tunneling current occurs when the laser photon energy is sufficient to excite charge carriers into the conduction band of the semiconductor. Figure 1 schematically depicts a proposed STORM apparatus. The light for illuminating the semiconductor specimen at the STM would be generated by a ring laser that would be tunable across the wavelength range of interest. The laser beam would be chopped by an achromatic liquid-crystal modulator. A polarization-maintaining optical fiber would couple the light to the tip/sample junction of a commercial STM. An STM can be operated in one of two modes: constant height or constant current. A STORM apparatus would be operated in the constant-current mode, in which the height of the tip relative to the specimen would be varied in order to keep the tunneling current constant. In this mode, a feedback control circuit adjusts the voltage applied to a piezoelectric actuator in the STM that adjusts the height of the STM tip to keep the tunneling current constant. The exponential relationship between the tunneling current and tip-to-sample distance makes it relatively easy to implement this mode of operation. The choice of method by which the photoenhanced portion of the tunneling current would be measured depends on choice of the frequency at which the input illumination would be modulated (chopped). If the frequency of modulation were low enough (typically < 10 Hz) that the feedback circuit could respond, then the voltage applied to the piezoelectric tip-height actuator could be measured by use of a lock-in amplifier locked to the modulation (chopping) signal. However, at a high modulation frequency (typically in the kilohertz range or higher), the feedback circuit would be unable to respond. In this case, the photoenhanced portion of the tunneling current could be measured directly. For this purpose, the tunneling current would be passed through a precise resistor and the voltage drop would be measured by use of the lock-in amplifier.

[Scanning electron microscopic investigations of cutting edge quality in lamellar keratotomy using the Wavelight femtosecond laser (FS-200) : What influence do spot distance and an additional tunnel have?

PubMed

Hammer, T; Höche, T; Heichel, J

2018-01-01

Femtosecond lasers (fs-lasers) are established cutting instruments for the creation of LASIK flaps. Previous studies often showed even rougher surfaces after application of fs-laser systems compared to lamellar keratotomy with mechanical microkeratomes. When cutting the cornea with fs-lasers, an intrastromal gas development occurs, which has a potentially negative influence on the cutting quality if the gas cannot be dissipated; therefore, manufacturers have chosen the way of gas assimilation in so-called pockets. The investigated system creates a tunnel which opens under the conjunctiva. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of a tunnel as well as the influence of different spot distances on the quality of cut surfaces and edges. In this experimental study on freshly enucleated porcine eyes (n = 15), the following cuts were carried out with the FS-200 (Wavelight, Erlangen, Germany): 1. standard setting (spot and line separation 8 µm), 2. with tunnel for gas drainage, 3. without gas-conducting tunnel, 4. with increased spot spacing (spot and line separation 9 μm instead of 8 μm) and 5. with reduced spot spacing (spot and line separation 7 μm instead of 8 μm). Subsequently, scanning electron microscopy (FEI Quanta 650, Hillsboro, OR) of the cut edges and surfaces as well as the gas drain tunnel were performed. The evaluation was based on an established score. The current fs-laser system (200 Hz) is able to create smooth cutting surfaces and sharp edges. The changed density of laser pulses compared to the standard settings with a reduced or increased distance between the pulses, did not achieve any further improvement in the surface quality. The gas-conducting tunnel could be detected by scanning electron microscope. In the case of cutting without a tunnel, roughened surfaces and irregularities on the cutting edges were found. When the FS-200 fs-laser is used, LASIK cuts with very smooth cut surfaces and sharp cutting edges are achieved. This is only valid as long as an additional tunnel with the fs-laser is placed under the conjunctiva. It can be assumed that the resulting gas is effectively drained through this tunnel. The installation of the tunnel represents a new possibility to replace previous techniques of gas assimilation in deeper lying cutting areas.

Theory of scanning tunneling spectroscopy: from Kondo impurities to heavy fermion materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morr, Dirk K.

2017-01-01

Kondo systems ranging from the single Kondo impurity to heavy fermion materials present us with a plethora of unconventional properties whose theoretical understanding is still one of the major open problems in condensed matter physics. Over the last few years, groundbreaking scanning tunneling spectroscopy (STS) experiments have provided unprecedented new insight into the electronic structure of Kondo systems. Interpreting the results of these experiments—the differential conductance and the quasi-particle interference spectrum—however, has been complicated by the fact that electrons tunneling from the STS tip into the system can tunnel either into the heavy magnetic moment or the light conduction band states. In this article, we briefly review the theoretical progress made in understanding how quantum interference between these two tunneling paths affects the experimental STS results. We show how this theoretical insight has allowed us to interpret the results of STS experiments on a series of heavy fermion materials providing detailed knowledge of their complex electronic structure. It is this knowledge that is a conditio sine qua non for developing a deeper understanding of the fascinating properties exhibited by heavy fermion materials, ranging from unconventional superconductivity to non-Fermi-liquid behavior in the vicinity of quantum critical points.

In silico simulations of tunneling barrier measurements for molecular orbital-mediated junctions: A molecular orbital theory approach to scanning tunneling microscopy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Terryn, Raymond J.; Sriraman, Krishnan; Olson, Joel A., E-mail: jolson@fit.edu

A new simulator for scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) is presented based on the linear combination of atomic orbitals molecular orbital (LCAO-MO) approximation for the effective tunneling Hamiltonian, which leads to the convolution integral when applied to the tip interaction with the sample. This approach intrinsically includes the structure of the STM tip. Through this mechanical emulation and the tip-inclusive convolution model, dI/dz images for molecular orbitals (which are closely associated with apparent barrier height, ϕ{sub ap}) are reported for the first time. For molecular adsorbates whose experimental topographic images correspond well to isolated-molecule quantum chemistry calculations, the simulator makes accuratemore » predictions, as illustrated by various cases. Distortions in these images due to the tip are shown to be in accord with those observed experimentally and predicted by other ab initio considerations of tip structure. Simulations of the tunneling current dI/dz images are in strong agreement with experiment. The theoretical framework provides a solid foundation which may be applied to LCAO cluster models of adsorbate–substrate systems, and is extendable to emulate several aspects of functional STM operation.« less

Building a 3d Reference Model for Canal Tunnel Surveying Using Sonar and Laser Scanning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moisan, E.; Charbonnier, P.; Foucher, P.; Grussenmeyer, P.; Guillemin, S.; Koehl, M.

2015-04-01

Maintaining canal tunnels is not only a matter of cultural and historical preservation, but also a commercial necessity and a security issue. This contribution adresses the problem of building a full 3D reference model of a canal tunnel by merging SONAR (for underwater data recording) and LASER data (for the above-water parts). Although both scanning devices produce point clouds, their properties are rather different. In particular, SONAR data are very noisy and their processing raises several issues related to the device capacities, the acquisition setup and the tubular shape of the tunnel. The proposed methodology relies on a denoising step by meshing, followed by the registration of SONAR data with the geo-referenced LASER data. Since there is no overlap between point clouds, a 3-step procedure is proposed to robustly estimate the registration parameters. In this paper, we report a first experimental survey, which concerned the entrance of a canal tunnel. The obtained results are promising and the analysis of the method raises several improvement directions that will help obtaining more accurate models, in a more automated fashion, in the limits of the involved technology.

Validation of 3-D Ice Accretion Measurement Methodology for Experimental Aerodynamic Simulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Broeren, Andy P.; Addy, Harold E., Jr.; Lee, Sam; Monastero, Marianne C.

2015-01-01

Determining the adverse aerodynamic effects due to ice accretion often relies on dry-air wind-tunnel testing of artificial, or simulated, ice shapes. Recent developments in ice-accretion documentation methods have yielded a laser-scanning capability that can measure highly three-dimensional (3-D) features of ice accreted in icing wind tunnels. The objective of this paper was to evaluate the aerodynamic accuracy of ice-accretion simulations generated from laser-scan data. Ice-accretion tests were conducted in the NASA Icing Research Tunnel using an 18-in. chord, two-dimensional (2-D) straight wing with NACA 23012 airfoil section. For six ice-accretion cases, a 3-D laser scan was performed to document the ice geometry prior to the molding process. Aerodynamic performance testing was conducted at the University of Illinois low-speed wind tunnel at a Reynolds number of 1.8 × 10(exp 6) and a Mach number of 0.18 with an 18-in. chord NACA 23012 airfoil model that was designed to accommodate the artificial ice shapes. The ice-accretion molds were used to fabricate one set of artificial ice shapes from polyurethane castings. The laser-scan data were used to fabricate another set of artificial ice shapes using rapid prototype manufacturing such as stereolithography. The iced-airfoil results with both sets of artificial ice shapes were compared to evaluate the aerodynamic simulation accuracy of the laser-scan data. For five of the six ice-accretion cases, there was excellent agreement in the iced-airfoil aerodynamic performance between the casting and laser-scan based simulations. For example, typical differences in iced-airfoil maximum lift coefficient were less than 3 percent with corresponding differences in stall angle of approximately 1 deg or less. The aerodynamic simulation accuracy reported in this paper has demonstrated the combined accuracy of the laser-scan and rapid-prototype manufacturing approach to simulating ice accretion for a NACA 23012 airfoil. For several of the ice-accretion cases tested, the aerodynamics is known to depend upon the small, three-dimensional features of the ice. These data show that the laser-scan and rapid-prototype manufacturing approach is capable of replicating these ice features within the reported accuracies of the laser-scan measurement and rapid-prototyping method; thus providing a new capability for high-fidelity ice-accretion documentation and artificial ice-shape fabrication for icing research.

Validation of 3-D Ice Accretion Measurement Methodology for Experimental Aerodynamic Simulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Broeren, Andy P.; Addy, Harold E., Jr.; Lee, Sam; Monastero, Marianne C.

2014-01-01

Determining the adverse aerodynamic effects due to ice accretion often relies on dry-air wind-tunnel testing of artificial, or simulated, ice shapes. Recent developments in ice accretion documentation methods have yielded a laser-scanning capability that can measure highly three-dimensional features of ice accreted in icing wind tunnels. The objective of this paper was to evaluate the aerodynamic accuracy of ice-accretion simulations generated from laser-scan data. Ice-accretion tests were conducted in the NASA Icing Research Tunnel using an 18-inch chord, 2-D straight wing with NACA 23012 airfoil section. For six ice accretion cases, a 3-D laser scan was performed to document the ice geometry prior to the molding process. Aerodynamic performance testing was conducted at the University of Illinois low-speed wind tunnel at a Reynolds number of 1.8 x 10(exp 6) and a Mach number of 0.18 with an 18-inch chord NACA 23012 airfoil model that was designed to accommodate the artificial ice shapes. The ice-accretion molds were used to fabricate one set of artificial ice shapes from polyurethane castings. The laser-scan data were used to fabricate another set of artificial ice shapes using rapid prototype manufacturing such as stereolithography. The iced-airfoil results with both sets of artificial ice shapes were compared to evaluate the aerodynamic simulation accuracy of the laser-scan data. For four of the six ice-accretion cases, there was excellent agreement in the iced-airfoil aerodynamic performance between the casting and laser-scan based simulations. For example, typical differences in iced-airfoil maximum lift coefficient were less than 3% with corresponding differences in stall angle of approximately one degree or less. The aerodynamic simulation accuracy reported in this paper has demonstrated the combined accuracy of the laser-scan and rapid-prototype manufacturing approach to simulating ice accretion for a NACA 23012 airfoil. For several of the ice-accretion cases tested, the aerodynamics is known to depend upon the small, three dimensional features of the ice. These data show that the laser-scan and rapid-prototype manufacturing approach is capable of replicating these ice features within the reported accuracies of the laser-scan measurement and rapid-prototyping method; thus providing a new capability for high-fidelity ice-accretion documentation and artificial ice-shape fabrication for icing research.

A post Gurney quantum mechanical perspective on the electrolysis of water: ion neutralization in solution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, Enyi; McKenzie, David R.

2017-11-01

Electron fluxes crossing the interface between a metallic conductor and an aqueous environment are important in many fields; hydrogen production, environmental scanning tunnelling microscopy, scanning electrochemical microscopy being some of them. Gurney (Gurney 1931 Proc. R. Soc. Lond. 134, 137 (doi:10.1098/rspa.1931.0187)) provided in 1931 a scheme for tunnelling during electrolysis and outlined conditions for it to occur. We measure the low-voltage current flows between gold electrodes in pure water and use the time-dependent behaviour at voltage switch-on and switch-off to evaluate the relative contribution to the steady current arising from tunnelling of electrons between the electrodes and ions in solution and from the neutralization of ions adsorbed onto the electrode surface. We ascribe the larger current contribution to quantum tunnelling of electrons to and from ions in solution near the electrodes. We refine Gurney's barrier scheme to include solvated electron states and quantify energy differences using updated information. We show that Gurney's conditions would prevent the current flow at low voltages we observe but outline how the ideas of Marcus (Marcus 1956 J. Chem. Phys. 24, 966-978 (doi:10.1063/1.1742723)) concerning solvation fluctuations enable the condition to be relaxed. We derive an average barrier tunnelling model and a multiple pathways tunnelling model and compare predictions with measurements of the steady-state current-voltage relation. The tunnelling barrier was found to be wide and low in agreement with other experimental studies. Applications as a biosensing mechanism are discussed that exploit the fast tunnelling pathways along molecules in solution.

Resonance tunneling electron-vibrational spectroscopy of polyoxometalates.

PubMed

Dalidchik, F I; Kovalevskii, S A; Balashov, E M

2017-05-21

The tunneling spectra of the ordered monolayer films of decamolybdodicobaltate (DMDC) compounds deposited from aqueous solutions on HOPG were measured by scanning tunnel microscopy in air. The DMDC spectra, as well as the tunneling spectra of other polyoxometalates (POMs), exhibit well-defined negative differential resistances (NDRs). The mechanism of formation of these spectral features was established from the collection of revealed NDR dependences on the external varying parameters and found to be common to all systems exhibiting Wannier-Stark localization. A model of biresonance tunneling was developed to provide an explanation for the totality of experimental data, both the literature and original, on the tunneling POM probing. A variant of the tunneling electron-vibrational POM spectroscopy was proposed allowing the determination of the three basic energy parameters-energy gaps between the occupied and unoccupied states, frequencies of the vibrational transitions accompanying biresonance electron-tunneling processes, and electron-vibrational interaction constants on the monomolecular level.

Resonance tunneling electron-vibrational spectroscopy of polyoxometalates

PubMed Central

Dalidchik, F. I.; Kovalevskii, S. A.

2017-01-01

The tunneling spectra of the ordered monolayer films of decamolybdodicobaltate (DMDC) compounds deposited from aqueous solutions on HOPG were measured by scanning tunnel microscopy in air. The DMDC spectra, as well as the tunneling spectra of other polyoxometalates (POMs), exhibit well-defined negative differential resistances (NDRs). The mechanism of formation of these spectral features was established from the collection of revealed NDR dependences on the external varying parameters and found to be common to all systems exhibiting Wannier–Stark localization. A model of biresonance tunneling was developed to provide an explanation for the totality of experimental data, both the literature and original, on the tunneling POM probing. A variant of the tunneling electron-vibrational POM spectroscopy was proposed allowing the determination of the three basic energy parameters—energy gaps between the occupied and unoccupied states, frequencies of the vibrational transitions accompanying biresonance electron-tunneling processes, and electron-vibrational interaction constants on the monomolecular level. PMID:28527451

A convenient method for large-scale STM mapping of freestanding atomically thin conductive membranes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Uder, B.; Hartmann, U.

2017-06-01

Two-dimensional atomically flat sheets with a high flexibility are very attractive as ultrathin membranes but are also inherently challenging for microscopic investigations. We report on a method using Scanning Tunneling Microscopy (STM) under ultra-high vacuum conditions for large-scale mapping of several-micrometer-sized freestanding single and multilayer graphene membranes. This is achieved by operating the STM at unusual parameters. We found that large-scale scanning on atomically thin membranes delivers valuable results using very high tip-scan speeds combined with high feedback-loop gain and low tunneling currents. The method ultimately relies on the particular behavior of the freestanding membrane in the STM which is much different from that of a solid substrate.

Note: Electron energy spectroscopy mapping of surface with scanning tunneling microscope

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Li, Meng; Xu, Chunkai, E-mail: xuck@ustc.edu.cn, E-mail: xjun@ustc.edu.cn; Zhang, Panke

We report a novel scanning probe electron energy spectrometer (SPEES) which combines a double toroidal analyzer with a scanning tunneling microscope to achieve both topography imaging and electron energy spectroscopy mapping of surface in situ. The spatial resolution of spectroscopy mapping is determined to be better than 0.7 ± 0.2 μm at a tip sample distance of 7 μm. Meanwhile, the size of the field emission electron beam spot on the surface is also measured, and is about 3.6 ± 0.8 μm in diameter. This unambiguously demonstrates that the spatial resolution of SPEES technique can be much better than themore » size of the incident electron beam.« less

Nanoscale structural and electronic characterization of α-RuCl3 layered compound

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ziatdinov, Maxim; Maksov, Artem; Banerjee, Arnab; Zhou, Wu; Berlijn, Tom; Yan, Jiaqiang; Nagler, Stephen; Mandrus, David; Baddorf, Arthur; Kalinin, Sergei

The exceptional interplay of spin-orbit effects, Coulomb interaction, and electron-lattice coupling is expected to produce an elaborate phase space of α-RuCl3 layered compound, which to date remains largely unexplored. Here we employ a combination of scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) for detailed evaluation of the system's microscopic structural and electronic orders with a sub-nanometer precision. The STM and STEM measurements are further supported by neutron scattering, X-Ray diffraction, density functional theory (DFT), and multivariate statistical analysis. Our results show a trigonal distortion of Cl octahedral ligand cage along the C3 symmetry axes in each RuCl3 layer. The lattice distortion is limited mainly to the Cl subsystem leaving the Ru honeycomb lattice nearly intact. The STM topographic and spectroscopic characterization reveals an intra unit cell electronic symmetry breaking in a spin-orbit coupled Mott insulating phase on the Cl-terminated surface of α-RuCl3. The associated long-range charge order (CO) pattern is linked to a surface component of Cl cage distortion. We finally discuss a fine structure of CO and its potential relation to variations of average unit cell geometries found in multivariate analysis of STEM data. The research was sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy.

Detachment of CVD-grown graphene from single crystalline Ni films by a pure gas phase reaction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zeller, Patrick; Henß, Ann-Kathrin; Weinl, Michael; Diehl, Leo; Keefer, Daniel; Lippmann, Judith; Schulz, Anne; Kraus, Jürgen; Schreck, Matthias; Wintterlin, Joost

2016-11-01

Despite great previous efforts there is still a high need for a simple, clean, and upscalable method for detaching epitaxial graphene from the metal support on which it was grown. We present a method based on a pure gas phase reaction that is free of solvents and polymer supports and avoids mechanical transfer steps. The graphene was grown on 150 nm thick, single crystalline Ni(111) films on Si(111) wafers with YSZ buffer layers. Its quality was monitored by using low energy electron diffraction and scanning tunneling microscopy. The gas phase etching uses a chemical transport reaction, the so-called Mond process, based on the formation of gaseous nickel tetracarbonyl in 1 bar of CO at 75 °C and by adding small amounts of sulfide catalysts. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy were used to characterize the detached graphene. It was found that the method successfully removes the nickel from underneath the graphene layer, so that the graphene lies on the insulating oxide buffer layer. Small residual particles of nickel sulfide and cracks in the obtained graphene layer were identified. The defect concentrations were comparable to graphene samples obtained by wet chemical etching and by the bubbling transfer.

Structural, spectroscopic and theoretical studies on 3,4,7,8-tetramethyl-1,10-phenantroline complex with picric acid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bator, G.; Sobczyk, L.; Sawka-Dobrowolska, W.; Wuttke, J.; Pawlukojć, A.; Grech, E.; Nowicka-Scheibe, J.

2013-01-01

The almost planar molecular complex, formed by 3,4,7,8-tetramethyl-phenantroline (Me4phen) and picric acid (2,4,6-trinitrophenol, PA), has been investigated by using X-ray diffraction, vibrational spectroscopy, tunnel splitting and theoretical analysis. In the crystal of Me4phen·PA two short bifurcated hydrogen bonds N+-H···O- [2.6238(14) Å] and N+-H···N [2.6898(15) Å] are created. Infra-red spectra show the hydrogen bonds are short. The neutron backscattering spectrum of Me4phenṡPA at 3 K shows two tunneling peaks at ca. 1 and 3 μeV. The number of the peaks is consistent with X-ray diffraction studies, which disclosed the inequivalence of methyl groups in the crystal structure. The comparison of the tunnel splitting for neat Me4phen and for its complex with picric acid indicates that in the latter case the methyl groups are more strongly engaged in the intermolecular interactions, particularly with nitro group oxygen atoms of picric acid, leading to an increase of the CH3 rotational barrier height.

Fixed-Gap Tunnel Junction for Reading DNA Nucleotides

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

Previous measurements of the electronic conductance of DNA nucleotides or amino acids have used tunnel junctions in which the gap is mechanically adjusted, such as scanning tunneling microscopes or mechanically controllable break junctions. Fixed-junction devices have, at best, detected the passage of whole DNA molecules without yielding chemical information. Here, we report on a layered tunnel junction in which the tunnel gap is defined by a dielectric layer, deposited by atomic layer deposition. Reactive ion etching is used to drill a hole through the layers so that the tunnel junction can be exposed to molecules in solution. When the metal electrodes are functionalized with recognition molecules that capture DNA nucleotides via hydrogen bonds, the identities of the individual nucleotides are revealed by characteristic features of the fluctuating tunnel current associated with single-molecule binding events. PMID:25380505

Spinoff from Wind Tunnel Technology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1985-01-01

Douglas Juanarena, a former NASA Langley instrument design engineer, found a solution to the problem of long, repetitive tunnel runs needed to measure airflow pressures. Electronically scanned pressure (ESP) replaced mechanical systems with electronic sensors. Juanarena licensed the NASA-patented technology and now manufactures ESP modules for research centers, aerospace companies, etc.

Diffraction-assisted micropatterning of silicon surfaces by ns-laser irradiation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Haro-Poniatowski, E., E-mail: haro@xanum.uam.mx; Acosta-Zepeda, C.; Mecalco, G.

2014-06-14

Single-pulse (532 nm, 8 ns) micropatterning of silicon with nanometric surface modulation is demonstrated by irradiating through a diffracting pinhole. The irradiation results obtained at fluences above the melting threshold are characterized by scanning electron and scanning force microscopy and reveal a good agreement with Fresnel diffraction theory. The physical mechanism is identified and discussed on basis of both thermocapillary and chemicapillary induced material transport during the molten state of the surface.

The (2:1) complex of picric acid with tetramethylpyrazine: The structure, IR spectra and tunnel splitting of methyl groups

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sawka-Dobrowolska, W.; Bator, G.; Sobczyk, L.; Grech, E.; Nowicka-Scheibe, J.; Pawlukojć, A.; Wuttke, J.

2010-06-01

The crystal structure of 2:1 picric acid (PAH) with tetramethylpyrazine (TMP) was determined by using X-ray diffraction studies. Two equivalent +N sbnd H⋯O - hydrogen bonds are formed with the length of 2.601 Å (calculated 2.640 Å). In the IR spectra very broad doublet at ca. 2000 and 2400 cm -1 is observed, which can be interpreted as due to symmetric and asymmetric +N sbnd H vibrations. In neutron backscattering two tunnel splittings are observed, in agreement with the symmetry of 2:1 assemblies. At 4 K the tunnel peaks are located at 3.17 and 4.24 μeV.

A modular designed ultra-high-vacuum spin-polarized scanning tunneling microscope with controllable magnetic fields for investigating epitaxial thin films.

PubMed

Wang, Kangkang; Lin, Wenzhi; Chinchore, Abhijit V; Liu, Yinghao; Smith, Arthur R

2011-05-01

A room-temperature ultra-high-vacuum scanning tunneling microscope for in situ scanning freshly grown epitaxial films has been developed. The core unit of the microscope, which consists of critical components including scanner and approach motors, is modular designed. This enables easy adaptation of the same microscope units to new growth systems with different sample-transfer geometries. Furthermore the core unit is designed to be fully compatible with cryogenic temperatures and high magnetic field operations. A double-stage spring suspension system with eddy current damping has been implemented to achieve ≤5 pm z stability in a noisy environment and in the presence of an interconnected growth chamber. Both tips and samples can be quickly exchanged in situ; also a tunable external magnetic field can be introduced using a transferable permanent magnet shuttle. This allows spin-polarized tunneling with magnetically coated tips. The performance of this microscope is demonstrated by atomic-resolution imaging of surface reconstructions on wide band-gap GaN surfaces and spin-resolved experiments on antiferromagnetic Mn(3)N(2)(010) surfaces.

A New High Channel-Count, High Scan-Rate, Data Acquisition System for the NASA Langley Transonic Dynamics Tunnel

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ivanco, Thomas G.; Sekula, Martin K.; Piatak, David J.; Simmons, Scott A.; Babel, Walter C.; Collins, Jesse G.; Ramey, James M.; Heald, Dean M.

2016-01-01

A data acquisition system upgrade project, known as AB-DAS, is underway at the NASA Langley Transonic Dynamics Tunnel. AB-DAS will soon serve as the primary data system and will substantially increase the scan-rate capabilities and analog channel count while maintaining other unique aeroelastic and dynamic test capabilities required of the facility. AB-DAS is configurable, adaptable, and enables buffet and aeroacoustic tests by synchronously scanning all analog channels and recording the high scan-rate time history values for each data quantity. AB-DAS is currently available for use as a stand-alone data system with limited capabilities while development continues. This paper describes AB-DAS, the design methodology, and the current features and capabilities. It also outlines the future work and projected capabilities following completion of the data system upgrade project.

Transfer doping of single isolated nanodiamonds, studied by scanning probe microscopy techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bolker, Asaf; Saguy, Cecile; Kalish, Rafi

2014-09-01

The transfer doping of diamond surfaces has been applied in various novel two-dimensional electronic devices. Its extension to nanodiamonds (ND) is essential for ND-based applications in many fields. In particular, understanding the influence of the crystallite size on transfer doping is desirable. Here, we report the results of a detailed study of the electronic energetic band structure of single, isolated transfer-doped nanodiamonds with nanometric resolution using a combination of scanning tunneling spectroscopy and Kelvin force microscopy measurements. The results show how the band gap, the valence band maximum, the electron affinity and the work function all depend on the ND’s size and nanoparticle surface properties. The present analysis, which combines information from both scanning tunneling spectroscopy and Kelvin force microscopy, should be applicable to any nanoparticle or surface that can be measured with scanning probe techniques.

Nanomanipulation and nanofabrication with multi-probe scanning tunneling microscope: from individual atoms to nanowires.

PubMed

Qin, Shengyong; Kim, Tae-Hwan; Wang, Zhouhang; Li, An-Ping

2012-06-01

The wide variety of nanoscale structures and devices demands novel tools for handling, assembly, and fabrication at nanoscopic positioning precision. The manipulation tools should allow for in situ characterization and testing of fundamental building blocks, such as nanotubes and nanowires, as they are built into functional devices. In this paper, a bottom-up technique for nanomanipulation and nanofabrication is reported by using a 4-probe scanning tunneling microscope (STM) combined with a scanning electron microscope (SEM). The applications of this technique are demonstrated in a variety of nanosystems, from manipulating individual atoms to bending, cutting, breaking carbon nanofibers, and constructing nanodevices for electrical characterizations. The combination of the wide field of view of SEM, the atomic position resolution of STM, and the flexibility of multiple scanning probes is expected to be a valuable tool for rapid prototyping in the nanoscience and nanotechnology.

Note: long range and accurate measurement of deep trench microstructures by a specialized scanning tunneling microscope.

PubMed

Ju, Bing-Feng; Chen, Yuan-Liu; Zhang, Wei; Zhu, Wule; Jin, Chao; Fang, F Z

2012-05-01

A compact but practical scanning tunneling microscope (STM) with high aspect ratio and high depth capability has been specially developed. Long range scanning mechanism with tilt-adjustment stage is adopted for the purpose of adjusting the probe-sample relative angle to compensate the non-parallel effects. A periodical trench microstructure with a pitch of 10 μm has been successfully imaged with a long scanning range up to 2.0 mm. More innovatively, a deep trench with depth and step height of 23.0 μm has also been successfully measured, and slope angle of the sidewall can approximately achieve 67°. The probe can continuously climb the high step and exploring the trench bottom without tip crashing. The new STM could perform long range measurement for the deep trench and high step surfaces without image distortion. It enables accurate measurement and quality control of periodical trench microstructures.

Radiative properties of advanced spacecraft heat shield materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cunnington, G. R.; Funai, A. I.; Mcnab, T. K.

1983-01-01

Experimental results are presented to show the effects of simulated reentry exposure by convective heating and by radiant heating on spectral and total emittance of statically oxidized Inconel 617 and Haynes HS188 superalloys to 1260 K and a silicide coatea (R512E) columbium 752 alloy to 1590 K. Convective heating exposures were conducted in a supersonic arc plasma wind tunnel using a wedge-shaped specimen configuration. Radiant tests were conducted at a pressure of .003 atmospheres of dry air at a flow velocity of several meters per second. Convective heating specimens were subjected to 8, 20, and 38 15-min heating cycles, and radiant heating specimens were tested for 10, 20, 50, and 100 30-min heating cycles. Changes in radiative properties are explained in terms of changes in composition resulting from simulated reentry tests. The methods used to evaluate morphological, compositional and crystallographic changes include: Auger electron spectroscopy; scanning electron microscopy; X-ray diffraction analysis; and electron microprobe analysis.

Thickness-dependent transition of the valence band shape from parabolic to Mexican-hat-like in the MBE grown InSe ultrathin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kibirev, I. A.; Matetskiy, A. V.; Zotov, A. V.; Saranin, A. A.

2018-05-01

Using molecular beam epitaxy, InSe films of thicknesses from one to six quadruple layers were grown on Si(111). The surface morphology and structure of the InSe films were monitored using reflection high-energy electron diffraction and scanning tunneling microscopy observations. Angle resolved photoemission experiments revealed that the bulk-like parabolic shape of the valence band of InSe/Si(111) changes for the so-called "Mexican hat" shape when the thickness of the InSe film reduces to one and two quadruple layers. The observed effect is in a qualitative agreement with the reported calculation results on the free-standing InSe films. However, in the InSe/Si(111) system, the features used to characterize the Mexican hat dispersion appear to be more pronounced, which makes the one- and two-quadruple InSe layers on Si(111) promising candidates as thermoelectric materials.

Morphological instability of GaAs (7 1 1)A: A transition between (1 0 0) and (5 1 1) terraces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yazdanpanah, V. R.; Wang, Zh. M.; Salamo, G. J.

2005-06-01

We report on the use of reflection high-energy electron diffraction (RHEED) and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) study that indicates that the GaAs (7 1 1)A is right at the transition between vicinal GaAs (1 0 0) and vicinal GaAs (5 1 1)A surfaces and that a variation of the As overpressure switches the surface morphology between the two vicinal surfaces. The steps on the vicinal (1 0 0) surface have a width of 1.5 nm creating a staircase surface with excellent possibilities for growth of quantum wells. As-rich conditions can be described by vicinal (5 1 1)A surfaces with a width of 3.5 nm. This surface could find applications as a template for quantum wire growth. The observation suggests that the transition between these two morphologies is understandable based on the increase in surface energy of a vicinal (1 0 0) surface as the step separation approaches the dimer reconstructed separation.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sarkar, S.; Mondal, A.; Dey, K.

Highlights: • Reduced graphene oxides (RGO) are prepared by two chemical routes. • Defects in RGO are characterized by Raman, FTIR and XPS studies. • Defects tailor colossal dielectricity in RGO. - Abstract: Reduced graphene oxide (RGO) is prepared in two different chemical routes where reduction of graphene oxide is performed by hydrazine hydrate and through high pressure in hydrothermal reactor. Samples are characterized by X-ray powdered diffraction (XRD), thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and tunneling electron microscopy (TEM). Types of defects are probed by Raman, FTIR spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). UV–vis absorptionmore » reveals different optical band gaps of the two RGOs. Conductivity mechanism is studied through I–V measurements displaying different characteristic features which are addressed due to the presence of defects appeared in different synthesis. Significantly high value (∼10{sup 4}) of dielectric permittivity at 10 MHz is attractive for technological application which could be tuned by the defects present in RGO.« less

Anisotropic high-harmonic generation in bulk crystals

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

You, Yong Sing; Reis, David A.; Ghimire, Shambhu

2016-11-21

The microscopic valence electron density determines the optical, electronic, structural and thermal properties of materials. However, current techniques for measuring this electron charge density are limited: for example, scanning tunnelling microscopy is confined to investigations at the surface, and electron diffraction requires very thin samples to avoid multiple scattering. Therefore, an optical method is desirable for measuring the valence charge density of bulk materials. Since the discovery of high-harmonic generation (HHG) in solids, there has been growing interest in using HHG to probe the electronic structure of solids. Here, using single-crystal MgO, we demonstrate that high-harmonic generation in solids ismore » sensitive to interatomic bonding. We find that harmonic efficiency is enhanced (diminished) for semi-classical electron trajectories that connect (avoid) neighbouring atomic sites in the crystal. Finally, these results indicate the possibility of using materials’ own electrons for retrieving the interatomic potential and thus the valence electron density, and perhaps even wavefunctions, in an all-optical setting.« less

Molecular Beam Epitaxial Growth of Iron Nitrides on Zinc-Blende Gallium Nitride(001)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pak, Jeongihm; Lin, Wenzhi; Chinchore, Abhijit; Wang, Kangkang; Smith, Arthur R.

2008-03-01

Iron nitrides are attractive materials for their high magnetic moments, corrosion, and oxidation resistance. We present the successful epitaxial growth of iron nitride on zinc-blende gallium nitride (c-GaN) in order to develop a novel magnetic transition metal nitride/semiconductor system. First, GaN is grown on magnesium oxide (MgO) substrates having (001) orientation using rf N2-plasma molecular beam epitaxy. Then we grow FeN at substrate temperature of ˜ 210 ^oC up to a thickness of ˜ 10.5 nm. In-situ reflection high-energy electron diffraction (RHEED) is used to monitor the surface during growth. Initial results suggest that the epitaxial relationship is FeN[001] || GaN[001] and FeN[100] || GaN[100]. Work in progress is to investigate the surface using in-situ scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) to reveal the surface structure at atomic scale, as well as to explore more Fe-rich magnetic phases.

Transition from Reconstruction toward Thin Film on the (110) Surface of Strontium Titanate

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

The surfaces of metal oxides often are reconstructed with a geometry and composition that is considerably different from a simple termination of the bulk. Such structures can also be viewed as ultrathin films, epitaxed on a substrate. Here, the reconstructions of the SrTiO3 (110) surface are studied combining scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), transmission electron diffraction, and X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS), and analyzed with density functional theory calculations. Whereas SrTiO3 (110) invariably terminates with an overlayer of titania, with increasing density its structure switches from n × 1 to 2 × n. At the same time the coordination of the Ti atoms changes from a network of corner-sharing tetrahedra to a double layer of edge-shared octahedra with bridging units of octahedrally coordinated strontium. This transition from the n × 1 to 2 × n reconstructions is a transition from a pseudomorphically stabilized tetrahedral network toward an octahedral titania thin film with stress-relief from octahedral strontia units at the surface. PMID:26954064

Effect of nanoscale size and medium on metal work function in oleylamine-capped gold nanocrystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abdellatif, M. H.; Ghosh, S.; Liakos, I.; Scarpellini, A.; Marras, S.; Diaspro, A.; Salerno, M.

2016-02-01

The work function is an important material property with several applications in photonics and optoelectronics. We aimed to characterize the work function of clusters resulting from gold nanocrystals capped with oleylamine surfactant and drop-casted onto gold substrate. We used scanning Kelvin probe microscopy to investigate the work function, and complemented our study mainly with X-ray diffraction and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The oleylamine works as an electron blocking layer through which the electrical conduction takes place by tunneling effect. The surface potential appears to depend on the size of the clusters, which can be ascribed to their difference in effective work function with the substrate. The charge state of gold clusters is discussed in comparison with theory, and their capacitance is calculated from a semi-analytical equation. The results suggest that at the nanoscale the work function is not an intrinsic property of a material but rather depends on the size and morphology of the clusters, including also effects of the surrounding materials.

Sn-doped Bi 1.1Sb 0.9Te 2S bulk crystal topological insulator with excellent properties

DOE PAGES

S. K. Kushwaha; Pletikosic, I.; Liang, T.; ...

2016-04-27

A long-standing issue in topological insulator research has been to find a bulk single crystal material that provides a high quality platform for characterizing topological surface states without interference from bulk electronic states. This material would ideally be a bulk insulator, have a surface state Dirac point energy well isolated from the bulk valence and conduction bands, display quantum oscillations from the surface state electrons, and be growable as large, high quality bulk single crystals. Here we show that this materials obstacle is overcome by bulk crystals of lightly Sn-doped Bi 1.1Sb 0.9Te 2S grown by the Vertical Bridgeman method.more » We characterize Sn-BSTS via angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy, scanning tunneling microscopy, transport studies, X-ray diffraction, and Raman scattering. We present this material as a high quality topological insulator that can be reliably grown as bulk single crystals and thus studied by many researchers interested in topological surface states.« less

Surface-interface exploration of Mg deposited on Si(100) and oxidation effect on interfacial layer

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sarpi, B.; Daineche, R.; Girardeaux, C.

Using scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy, Auger electron spectroscopy, and low energy electron diffraction, we have studied the growth of Mg deposited on Si(100)-(2 × 1). Coverage from 0.05 monolayer (ML) to 3 ML was investigated at room temperature. The growth mode of the magnesium is a two steps process. At very low coverage, there is formation of an amorphous ultrathin silicide layer with a band gap of 0.74 eV, followed by a layer-by-layer growth of Mg on top of this silicide layer. Topographic images reveal that each metallic Mg layer is formed by 2D islands coalescence process on top of the silicidemore » interfacial layer. During oxidation of the Mg monolayer, the interfacial silicide layer acts as diffusion barrier for the oxygen atoms with a decomposition of the silicide film to a magnesium oxide as function of O{sub 2} exposure.« less

Adsorption of Pb(II) from aqueous solution using a magnetic chitosan/graphene oxide composite and its toxicity studies.

PubMed

Samuel, Melvin S; Shah, Sk Sheriff; Bhattacharya, Jayanta; Subramaniam, Kalidass; Pradeep Singh, N D

2018-05-02

This study involves the adsorption of lead using magnetic chitosan/graphene oxide (MCGO) composite material in batch mode. The MCGO composite material was synthesized via modified Hummers method. The MCGO composite material was characterized by powder x-ray diffraction (PXRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Tunnelling electron microscopy (TEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) and UV-vis diffusive reflectance spectra. The adsorption mechanism of MCGO composite material was well described by Langmuir isotherm and pseudo second order kinetic model, with a high regression coefficient (<0.99). The MCGO composite material was applied for the removal of lead metal from aqueous solution. We have also evaluated toxicity of synthesized MCGO composite material by examining on A549 cells. The results have shown that MCGO material showed viable cell percentage of 53.7% at 50 μg and 44.8% at 100 μg. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Dynamic probe of ZnTe(110) surface by scanning tunneling microscopy

PubMed Central

Kanazawa, Ken; Yoshida, Shoji; Shigekawa, Hidemi; Kuroda, Shinji

2015-01-01

The reconstructed surface structure of the II–VI semiconductor ZnTe (110), which is a promising material in the research field of semiconductor spintronics, was studied by scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy (STM/STS). First, the surface states formed by reconstruction by the charge transfer of dangling bond electrons from cationic Zn to anionic Te atoms, which are similar to those of IV and III–V semiconductors, were confirmed in real space. Secondly, oscillation in tunneling current between binary states, which is considered to reflect a conformational change in the topmost Zn–Te structure between the reconstructed and bulk-like ideal structures, was directly observed by STM. Third, using the technique of charge injection, a surface atomic structure was successfully fabricated, suggesting the possibility of atomic-scale manipulation of this widely applicable surface of ZnTe. PMID:27877752

(Na,□)5[MnO2]13 nanorods: a new tunnel structure for electrode materials determined ab initio and refined through a combination of electron and synchrotron diffraction data

PubMed Central

Mugnaioli, Enrico; Gemmi, Mauro; Merlini, Marco; Gregorkiewitz, Michele

2016-01-01

(Nax□1 − x)5[MnO2]13 has been synthesized with x = 0.80 (4), corresponding to Na0.31[MnO2]. This well known material is usually cited as Na0.4[MnO2] and is believed to have a romanèchite-like framework. Here, its true structure is determined, ab initio, by single-crystal electron diffraction tomography (EDT) and refined both by EDT data applying dynamical scattering theory and by the Rietveld method based on synchrotron powder diffraction data (χ2 = 0.690, R wp = 0.051, R p = 0.037, R F2 = 0.035). The unit cell is monoclinic C2/m, a = 22.5199 (6), b = 2.83987 (6), c = 14.8815 (4) Å, β = 105.0925 (16)°, V = 918.90 (4) Å3, Z = 2. A hitherto unknown [MnO2] framework is found, which is mainly based on edge- and corner-sharing octahedra and comprises three types of tunnels: per unit cell, two are defined by S-shaped 10-rings, four by egg-shaped 8-rings, and two by slightly oval 6-rings of Mn polyhedra. Na occupies all tunnels. The so-determined structure excellently explains previous reports on the electrochemistry of (Na,□)5[MnO2]13. The trivalent Mn3+ ions concentrate at two of the seven Mn sites where larger Mn—O distances and Jahn–Teller distortion are observed. One of the Mn3+ sites is five-coordinated in a square pyramid which, on oxidation to Mn4+, may easily undergo topotactic transformation to an octahedron suggesting a possible pathway for the transition among different tunnel structures. PMID:27910840

Electron tunnelling through single azurin molecules can be on/off switched by voltage pulses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baldacchini, Chiara; Kumar, Vivek; Bizzarri, Anna Rita; Cannistraro, Salvatore

2015-05-01

Redox metalloproteins are emerging as promising candidates for future bio-optoelectronic and nano-biomemory devices, and the control of their electron transfer properties through external signals is still a crucial task. Here, we show that a reversible on/off switching of the electron current tunnelling through a single protein can be achieved in azurin protein molecules adsorbed on gold surfaces, by applying appropriate voltage pulses through a scanning tunnelling microscope tip. The observed changes in the hybrid system tunnelling properties are discussed in terms of long-sustained charging of the protein milieu.

Observation of current reversal in the scanning tunneling spectra of fullerene-like WS2 nanoparticles.

PubMed

Azulay, Doron; Kopnov, Frieda; Tenne, Reshef; Balberg, Isaac; Millo, Oded

2006-04-01

Current-voltage characteristics measured using STM on fullerene-like WS2 nanoparticles show zero-bias current and contain segments in which the tunneling current flows opposite to the applied bias voltage. In addition, negative differential conductance peaks emerge in these reversed current segments, and the characteristics are hysteretic with respect to the change in the voltage sweep direction. Such unusual features resemble those appearing in cyclic voltammograms, but are uniquely observed here in tunneling spectra measured in vacuum, as well as in ambient and dry atmosphere conditions. This behavior is attributed to tunneling-driven electrochemical processes.

Planar-type ferromagnetic tunnel junctions fabricated by SPM local oxidation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tomoda, Y.; Kayashima, S.; Ogino, T.; Motoyama, M.; Takemura, Y.; Shirakashi, J.

Nanometer-scale oxide wires were fabricated by local oxidation nanolithography using scanning probe microscope (SPM). This technique was applied to the fabrication of planar-type Ni/Ni oxide/Ni ferromagnetic tunnel junctions. In order to induce magnetic shape anisotropy, asymmetrical channel structure was patterned by conventional photolithography and wet etching processes. The magnetoresistance (MR) characteristics were clearly shown in the planar-type Ni/Ni oxide/Ni ferromagnetic tunnel junctions. MR ratio of above 100% was obtained at 17 K. This result suggests that the local oxidation nanolithography using SPM is useful for the application to planar-type ferromagnetic tunnel junctions.

Probing semiconductor gap states with resonant tunneling.

PubMed

Loth, S; Wenderoth, M; Winking, L; Ulbrich, R G; Malzer, S; Döhler, G H

2006-02-17

Tunneling transport through the depletion layer under a GaAs {110} surface is studied with a low temperature scanning tunneling microscope (STM). The observed negative differential conductivity is due to a resonant enhancement of the tunneling probability through the depletion layer mediated by individual shallow acceptors. The STM experiment probes, for appropriate bias voltages, evanescent states in the GaAs band gap. Energetically and spatially resolved spectra show that the pronounced anisotropic contrast pattern of shallow acceptors occurs exclusively for this specific transport channel. Our findings suggest that the complex band structure causes the observed anisotropies connected with the zinc blende symmetry.

Micromachined Electron-Tunneling Infrared Detectors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kenny, Thomas W.; Kaiser, William J.; Waltman, Stephen B.

1993-01-01

Pneumatic/thermal infrared detectors based partly on Golay-cell concept, but smaller and less fragile. Include containers filled with air or other gas trapped behind diaphragms. Infrared radiation heats sensors, causing gas to expand. Resulting deflections of diaphragms measured by displacement sensors based on principle of electron-tunneling transducers of scanning tunneling microscopes. Exceed sensitivity of all other miniature, uncooled infrared sensors presently available. Expected to include low consumption of power, broadband sensitivity, room-temperature operation, and invulnerability to ionizing radiation.

Tip-induced local strain on Mo S 2 / graphite detected by inelastic electron tunneling spectroscopy

DOE PAGES

Ko, Wonhee; Hus, Saban M.; Li, Xufan; ...

2018-03-02

We report the detection of tip-induced local strain applied to the monolayer MoS 2 grown on a graphite substrate by scanning tunneling microscope. Monolayer MoS 2 behaves as both mechanical and tunneling barriers that prevent the tip from contacting the graphite while maintaining the tunneling current. Inelastic tunneling electron spectroscopy (IETS) is utilized to probe the phonon modes in graphite. As the tip pushes the sample, IETS reveals a continuous phonon softening in graphite, corroborated by a downward shift of the phonon energy as calculated by density-functional theory. Finally, our results demonstrate a way to apply local mechanical strain andmore » simultaneously detect the induced change in phonon modes by unitizing IETS with two-dimensional materials as a tunneling barrier.« less

Tip-induced local strain on Mo S 2 / graphite detected by inelastic electron tunneling spectroscopy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ko, Wonhee; Hus, Saban M.; Li, Xufan

We report the detection of tip-induced local strain applied to the monolayer MoS 2 grown on a graphite substrate by scanning tunneling microscope. Monolayer MoS 2 behaves as both mechanical and tunneling barriers that prevent the tip from contacting the graphite while maintaining the tunneling current. Inelastic tunneling electron spectroscopy (IETS) is utilized to probe the phonon modes in graphite. As the tip pushes the sample, IETS reveals a continuous phonon softening in graphite, corroborated by a downward shift of the phonon energy as calculated by density-functional theory. Finally, our results demonstrate a way to apply local mechanical strain andmore » simultaneously detect the induced change in phonon modes by unitizing IETS with two-dimensional materials as a tunneling barrier.« less

Tip-induced local strain on Mo S2/graphite detected by inelastic electron tunneling spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ko, Wonhee; Hus, Saban M.; Li, Xufan; Berlijn, Tom; Nguyen, Giang D.; Xiao, Kai; Li, An-Ping

2018-03-01

We report the detection of tip-induced local strain applied to the monolayer Mo S2 grown on a graphite substrate by scanning tunneling microscope. Monolayer Mo S2 behaves as both mechanical and tunneling barriers that prevent the tip from contacting the graphite while maintaining the tunneling current. Inelastic tunneling electron spectroscopy (IETS) is utilized to probe the phonon modes in graphite. As the tip pushes the sample, IETS reveals a continuous phonon softening in graphite, corroborated by a downward shift of the phonon energy as calculated by density-functional theory. Our results demonstrate a way to apply local mechanical strain and simultaneously detect the induced change in phonon modes by unitizing IETS with two-dimensional materials as a tunneling barrier.

Technology and application of 3D tunnel information monitoring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Changqing; Deng, Hongliang; Chen, Ge; Wang, Simiao; Guo, Yang; Wu, Shenglin

2015-12-01

It is very necessary that Implement information monitoring and dynamic construction because of Complex geological environment and lack of basic information in the process of tunnel construction. The monitoring results show that 3 d laser scanning technology and information management system has important theoretical significance and application value to ensure the safety of tunnel construction, rich construction theory and technology. It can be known in real time the deformation information and the construction information in near tunnel workplace and the whole tunnel section in real time. In the meantime, it can be known the deformation regularity in the tunnel excavation process and the early warning and forecasting in the form of graphic and data. In order to determine the reasonable time and provide basis for supporting parameters and lining.

Computer system for scanning tunneling microscope automation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aguilar, M.; García, A.; Pascual, P. J.; Presa, J.; Santisteban, A.

1987-03-01

A computerized system for the automation of a scanning tunneling microscope is presented. It is based on an IBM personal computer (PC) either an XT or an AT, which performs the control, data acquisition and storage operations, displays the STM "images" in real time, and provides image processing tools for the restoration and analysis of data. It supports different data acquisition and control cards and image display cards. The software has been designed in a modular way to allow the replacement of these cards and other equipment improvements as well as the inclusion of user routines for data analysis.

One-dimensional ordering of Ge nanoclusters along atomically straight steps of Si(111)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sekiguchi, Takeharu; Yoshida, Shunji; Itoh, Kohei M.

2007-01-01

Ge nanostructures grown by molecular beam epitaxy on a vicinal Si(111) surface with atomically well-defined steps are studied by means of scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy. When the substrate temperature during deposition is around 250 degree sign C, Ge nanoclusters of diameters less than 2.0 nm form a one-dimensional array of the periodicity 2.7 nm along each step. This self-organization is due to preferential nucleation of Ge on the unfaulted 7x7 half-unit cells at the upper step edges. Scanning tunneling spectroscopy reveals localized electronic states of the nanoclusters.

Manipulating, Reacting, and Constructing Single Molecules with a Scanning Tunneling Microscope Tip

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hla, S.-W.

The fascinating advances in atom and molecule manipulation with the scanning tunneling microscope (STM) tip allow scientists to fabricate artificial atomic scale structures, to study local quantum phenomena, or to probe physical and chemical properties of single atoms and molecules on surfaces. Recent achievements in individual synthesis of single molecules with the STM tip further open up an entirely new opportunities in nanoscience and technology. The STM manipulation techniques usef ul in the molecular construction are reviewed and prospects for future opportunities of single molecule chemical engineering and their possible implications to nano-scale science and technology are discussed.

Mesoscopic self-organization of a self-assembled supramolecular rectangle on highly oriented pyrolytic graphite and Au(111) surfaces.

PubMed

Gong, Jian-Ru; Wan, Li-Jun; Yuan, Qun-Hui; Bai, Chun-Li; Jude, Hershel; Stang, Peter J

2005-01-25

A self-assembled supramolecular metallacyclic rectangle was investigated with scanning tunneling microscopy on highly oriented pyrolytic graphite and Au(111) surfaces. The rectangles spontaneously adsorb on both surfaces and self-organize into well ordered adlayers. On highly oriented pyrolytic graphite, the long edge of the rectangle stands on the surface, forming a 2D molecular network. In contrast, the face of the rectangle lays flat on the Au(111) surface, forming linear chains. The structures and intramolecular features obtained through high-resolution scanning tunneling microscopy imaging are discussed.

Gallenene epitaxially grown on Si(1 1 1)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tao, Min-Long; Tu, Yu-Bing; Sun, Kai; Wang, Ya-Li; Xie, Zheng-Bo; Liu, Lei; Shi, Ming-Xia; Wang, Jun-Zhong

2018-07-01

Gallenene, an analogue of graphene composed of gallium, is epitaxially grown on Si(1 1 1) surface and studied by low temperature scanning tunneling microscopy (LT-STM). The STM images display that the buffer layer has a superstructure with respect to the substrate lattice and the gallenene layer has a hexagonal honeycomb structure. The scanning tunneling spectra (STS) of the gallenene show that it behaves as a metallic layer. First-principles calculations give the proposed configuration. Our results provide a method to synthesize the gallenene and shed important light on the growth mechanism of it.

Characterization of Si3N4/SiO2 optical channel waveguides by photon scanning tunneling microscopy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wang, Yan; Chudgar, Mona H.; Jackson, Howard E.; Miller, Jeffrey S.; De Brabander, Gregory N.; Boyd, Joseph T.

1993-01-01

Photon scanning tunneling microscopy (PSTM) is used to characterize Si3N4/Si02 optical channel waveguides being used for integrated optical-micromechanical sensors. PSTM utilizes an optical fiber tapered to a fine point which is piezoelectrically positioned to measure the decay of the evanescent field intensity associated with the waveguide propagating mode. Evanescent field decays are recorded for both ridge channel waveguides and planar waveguide regions. Values for the local effective refractive index are calculated from the data for both polarizations and compared to model calculations.

Surface atomic structure of alloyed Mn 5Ge 3(0 0 0 1) by scanning tunneling microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Howon; Jung, Goo-Eun; Yoon, Jong Keon; Chung, Kyung Hoon; Kahng, Se-Jong

Surface atomic structure of Mn 5Ge 3(0 0 0 1) is studied by scanning tunneling microscopy. Hexagonal honeycomb ordering is observed at high energy levels, ∣ E - EF∣ ˜ 1.2 eV, on the flat regions of three-dimensional Mn 5Ge 3 islands. At low energy levels, ∣ E - EF∣ ˜ 0.5 eV, however, atomic images exhibit dot-array and ring-array structures, which show complete and partial contrast inversion, compared to the honeycomb ordering. Experimental observations are discussed on the basis of possible atomic models.

Refined tip preparation by electrochemical etching and ultrahigh vacuum treatment to obtain atomically sharp tips for scanning tunneling microscope and atomic force microscope.

PubMed

Hagedorn, Till; El Ouali, Mehdi; Paul, William; Oliver, David; Miyahara, Yoichi; Grütter, Peter

2011-11-01

A modification of the common electrochemical etching setup is presented. The described method reproducibly yields sharp tungsten tips for usage in the scanning tunneling microscope and tuning fork atomic force microscope. In situ treatment under ultrahigh vacuum (p ≤10(-10) mbar) conditions for cleaning and fine sharpening with minimal blunting is described. The structure of the microscopic apex of these tips is atomically resolved with field ion microscopy and cross checked with field emission. © 2011 American Institute of Physics

Collective Modes and Structural Modulation in Ni-Mn-Ga(Co) Martensite Thin Films Probed by Femtosecond Spectroscopy and Scanning Tunneling Microscopy.

PubMed

Schubert, M; Schaefer, H; Mayer, J; Laptev, A; Hettich, M; Merklein, M; He, C; Rummel, C; Ristow, O; Großmann, M; Luo, Y; Gusev, V; Samwer, K; Fonin, M; Dekorsy, T; Demsar, J

2015-08-14

The origin of the martensitic transition in the magnetic shape memory alloy Ni-Mn-Ga has been widely discussed. While several studies suggest it is electronically driven, the adaptive martensite model reproduced the peculiar nonharmonic lattice modulation. We used femtosecond spectroscopy to probe the temperature and doping dependence of collective modes, and scanning tunneling microscopy revealed the corresponding static modulations. We show that the martensitic phase can be described by a complex charge-density wave tuned by magnetic ordering and strong electron-lattice coupling.

Collective Modes and Structural Modulation in Ni-Mn-Ga(Co) Martensite Thin Films Probed by Femtosecond Spectroscopy and Scanning Tunneling Microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schubert, M.; Schaefer, H.; Mayer, J.; Laptev, A.; Hettich, M.; Merklein, M.; He, C.; Rummel, C.; Ristow, O.; Großmann, M.; Luo, Y.; Gusev, V.; Samwer, K.; Fonin, M.; Dekorsy, T.; Demsar, J.

2015-08-01

The origin of the martensitic transition in the magnetic shape memory alloy Ni-Mn-Ga has been widely discussed. While several studies suggest it is electronically driven, the adaptive martensite model reproduced the peculiar nonharmonic lattice modulation. We used femtosecond spectroscopy to probe the temperature and doping dependence of collective modes, and scanning tunneling microscopy revealed the corresponding static modulations. We show that the martensitic phase can be described by a complex charge-density wave tuned by magnetic ordering and strong electron-lattice coupling.

Development of Thin Films as Potential Structural Cathodes to Enable Multifunctional Energy-Storage Structural Composite Batteries for the U.S. Army’s Future Force

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-09-01

glancing angle X - ray diffraction (GAXRD), atomic force microscopy (AFM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and electrochemical...Emission SEM FWHM full width at half maximum GAXRD glancing angle X - ray diffraction H3COCH2CH2OH 2-methoxyethanol LiMn2O4 lithium manganese oxide...were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X - ray diffraction (XRD), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). In addition,

Rectangular Relief Diffraction Gratings for Coherent Lidar Beam Scanning

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cole, H. J.; Chambers, D. M.; Dixit, S. N.; Britten, J. A.; Shore, B. W.; Kavaya, M. J.

1999-01-01

The application of specialized rectangular relief transmission gratings to coherent lidar beam scanning is presented. Two types of surface relief transmission grating approaches are studied with an eye toward potential insertion of a constant thickness, diffractive scanner where refractive wedges now exist. The first diffractive approach uses vertically oriented relief structure in the surface of an optical flat; illumination of the diffractive scanner is off-normal in nature. The second grating design case describes rectangular relief structure slanted at a prescribed angle with respect to the surface. In this case, illumination is normal to the diffractive scanner. In both cases, performance predictions for 2.0 micron, circularly polarized light at beam deflection angles of 30 or 45 degrees are presented.

Relationship between Widening and Position of the Tunnels and Clinical Results of Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction to Knee Osteoarthritis: 30 Patients at a Minimum Follow-Up of 10 Years.

PubMed

Ayala-Mejias, Juan Diego; Garcia-Gonzalez, Benjamin; Alcocer-Perez-España, Luis; Villafañe, Jorge Hugo; Berjano, Pedro

2017-07-01

To evaluate the relationship between tunnel position and widening and long-term clinical results in anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction, a retrospective cohort of 30 patients undergoing ACL reconstruction with double semitendinous plus double gracilis (SAC technique) with longer than 10-year follow-up was selected. CT scans in the first 3 months and at final follow-up was evaluated. Position, angle, and widening of tunnels including Nebelung criteria were recorded in all CT scans. Physical, KT-1000, and clinical evaluation were performed at final follow-up. Outcomes and knee arthritis severity were evaluated at final follow-up. Mean follow-up was 11.2 ± 1.2. At final follow-up, 85 and 57% of tibial and femoral tunnels, respectively, developed some degree of enlargement. Frontal tibial angle (mean) was 72°, sagittal tibial angle 63°, frontal femoral angle 47°, sagittal femoral angle 20°, and tunnels divergence angle 36°. Preoperatively, KT-1000 30L and Lachman test scores were 5.52 and 5.79 respectively. In the last follow-up, 30L and manual Lachman test scores were 0.97 and 1.13, respectively ( p  < 0.001). In IKDC scale, pivot shift and Jerk tests showed 83 and 84% grade A results, respectively ( p  < 0.0001). In Fairbank scale, 23% worsened one grade and 27% worsened more than one grade ( p  < 0.005). Tibial tunnels widened more than femoral tunnels and further dilatation was found between intermediate and final follow-up. Higher incidence of tibial tunnel widening was observed in patients with tunnel verticalization. Tibial tunnel dilation was associated with long-term degenerative changes but not with final knee instability. Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

Preparation of atomically flat TiO2(001) surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Yang; Weitering, Hanno H.; Snijders, Paul C.

2015-03-01

Transition metal oxides with the rutile structure (MO2, M = e.g. Ti, V, or Nb) have highly directional partially occupied t2g orbitals. Some of these orbitals form quasi-1D electronic bands along the rutile c-axis, and Peierls-like ordering phenomena have been observed in VO2 and NbO2. Tailoring the electronic properties of these materials via quantum confinement requires epitaxial growth on suitable substrates such as low index TiO2 surfaces. Because of the high surface energy of rutile TiO2(001), the standard approach of sputtering and annealing usually introduces faceting. Here we demonstrate a facile method to create atomically flat, non-faceted TiO2(001) surfaces. Using scanning tunneling microscopy we observe terraces with a width of approximately 150 nm. Step heights of approximately 0.3 nm are observed, consistent with the c lattice parameter of rutile TiO2. Low energy electron diffraction patterns reveal sharp diffraction spots with an in-plane lattice constant of 0.358 nm which is consistent with a (1x1) ordering of the (001) plane. These TiO2(001) single crystal surfaces can serve as an ideal substrate for further growth of rutile heterostructures. Research sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Basic Energy Sciences, Materials Sciences and Engineering Division.

Theory of high-resolution tunneling spin transport on a magnetic skyrmion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Palotás, Krisztián; Rózsa, Levente; Szunyogh, László

2018-05-01

Tunneling spin transport characteristics of a magnetic skyrmion are described theoretically in magnetic scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). The spin-polarized charge current in STM (SP-STM) and tunneling spin transport vector quantities, the longitudinal spin current and the spin transfer torque, are calculated in high spatial resolution within the same theoretical framework. A connection between the conventional charge current SP-STM image contrasts and the magnitudes of the spin transport vectors is demonstrated that enables the estimation of tunneling spin transport properties based on experimentally measured SP-STM images. A considerable tunability of the spin transport vectors by the involved spin polarizations is also highlighted. These possibilities and the combined theory of tunneling charge and vector spin transport pave the way for gaining deep insight into electric-current-induced tunneling spin transport properties in SP-STM and to the related dynamics of complex magnetic textures at surfaces.

Simultaneous X-ray fluorescence and scanning X-ray diffraction microscopy at the Australian Synchrotron XFM beamline

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jones, Michael W. M.; Phillips, Nicholas W.; van Riessen, Grant A.

2016-08-11

Owing to its extreme sensitivity, quantitative mapping of elemental distributionsviaX-ray fluorescence microscopy (XFM) has become a key microanalytical technique. The recent realisation of scanning X-ray diffraction microscopy (SXDM) meanwhile provides an avenue for quantitative super-resolved ultra-structural visualization. The similarity of their experimental geometries indicates excellent prospects for simultaneous acquisition. Here, in both step- and fly-scanning modes, robust, simultaneous XFM-SXDM is demonstrated.

A Method of Accurate Bone Tunnel Placement for Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Based on 3-Dimensional Printing Technology: A Cadaveric Study.

PubMed

Ni, Jianlong; Li, Dichen; Mao, Mao; Dang, Xiaoqian; Wang, Kunzheng; He, Jiankang; Shi, Zhibin

2018-02-01

To explore a method of bone tunnel placement for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction based on 3-dimensional (3D) printing technology and to assess its accuracy. Twenty human cadaveric knees were scanned by thin-layer computed tomography (CT). To obtain data on bones used to establish a knee joint model by computer software, customized bone anchors were installed before CT. The reference point was determined at the femoral and tibial footprint areas of the ACL. The site and direction of the bone tunnels of the femur and tibia were designed and calibrated on the knee joint model according to the reference point. The resin template was designed and printed by 3D printing. Placement of the bone tunnels was accomplished by use of templates, and the cadaveric knees were scanned again to compare the concordance of the internal opening of the bone tunnels and reference points. The twenty 3D printing templates were designed and printed successfully. CT data analysis between the planned and actual drilled tunnel positions showed mean deviations of 0.57 mm (range, 0-1.5 mm; standard deviation, 0.42 mm) at the femur and 0.58 mm (range, 0-1.5 mm; standard deviation, 0.47 mm) at the tibia. The accuracy of bone tunnel placement for ACL reconstruction in cadaveric adult knees based on 3D printing technology is high. This method can improve the accuracy of bone tunnel placement for ACL reconstruction in clinical sports medicine. Copyright © 2017 Arthroscopy Association of North America. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Scanning digital lithography providing high speed large area patterning with diffraction limited sub-micron resolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wen, Sy-Bor; Bhaskar, Arun; Zhang, Hongjie

2018-07-01

A scanning digital lithography system using computer controlled digital spatial light modulator, spatial filter, infinity correct optical microscope and high precision translation stage is proposed and examined. Through utilizing the spatial filter to limit orders of diffraction modes for light delivered from the spatial light modulator, we are able to achieve diffraction limited deep submicron spatial resolution with the scanning digital lithography system by using standard one inch level optical components with reasonable prices. Raster scanning of this scanning digital lithography system using a high speed high precision x-y translation stage and piezo mount to real time adjust the focal position of objective lens allows us to achieve large area sub-micron resolved patterning with high speed (compared with e-beam lithography). It is determined in this study that to achieve high quality stitching of lithography patterns with raster scanning, a high-resolution rotation stage will be required to ensure the x and y directions of the projected pattern are in the same x and y translation directions of the nanometer precision x-y translation stage.

Scanning tunneling microscopy study of graphene on Au(111): Growth mechanisms and substrate interactions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nie, Shu; Bartelt, Norman C.; Wofford, Joseph M.; Dubon, Oscar D.; McCarty, Kevin F.; Thürmer, Konrad

2012-05-01

We use scanning tunneling microscopy to study the structure of graphene islands on Au(111) grown by deposition of elemental carbon at 950 °C. Consistent with low-energy electron microscopic observations, we find that the graphene islands have dendritic shapes. The islands tend to cover depressed regions of the Au surface, suggesting that Au is displaced as the graphene grows. If small tunneling currents are used, it is possible to image simultaneously the graphene/Au moiré and the Au herringbone reconstruction, which forms underneath the graphene on cooling from the growth temperature. The delicate herringbone structure and its periodicity remain unchanged from the bare Au surface. Using a Frenkel-Kontorova model, we deduce that this striking observation is consistent with an attraction between graphene and Au of less than 13 meV per C atom. Raman spectroscopy supports this weak interaction. However, at the tunneling currents necessary for atomic-resolution imaging of graphene, the Au reconstruction is altered, implying influential tip-sample interactions and a mobile Au surface beneath the graphene.

Adlayer structure of octa-alkoxy-substituted copper(II) phthalocyanine on Au(111) by electrochemical scanning tunneling microscopy.

PubMed

Wang, Li; Ou-Yang, Liangyue; Yau, Shueh-Lin

2008-01-01

Electrochemical scanning tunneling microscopy (ECSTM) has been used to examine the adlayer of octa-alkoxy-substituted copper(II) phthalocyanines (CuPc(OC(8)H(17))(8)) on Au(111) in 0.1 M HClO(4), where the molecular adlayer was prepared by spontaneous adsorption from a benzene solution containing this molecule. Topography STM scans revealed long-range ordered, interweaved arrays of CuPc(OC(8)H(17))(8) with coexistent rectangular and hexagonal symmetries. High-quality STM molecular resolution yielded the internal molecular structure and the orientation of CuPc(OC(8)H(17))(8) admolecules. These STM results could shed insight into the method of generating ordered molecular assemblies of phthalocyanine molecules with long-chained substitutes on metal surface. 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc

Ultra compact multitip scanning tunneling microscope with a diameter of 50 mm.

PubMed

Cherepanov, Vasily; Zubkov, Evgeny; Junker, Hubertus; Korte, Stefan; Blab, Marcus; Coenen, Peter; Voigtländer, Bert

2012-03-01

We present a multitip scanning tunneling microscope (STM) where four independent STM units are integrated on a diameter of 50 mm. The coarse positioning of the tips is done under the control of an optical microscope or scanning electron microscopy in vacuum. The heart of this STM is a new type of piezoelectric coarse approach called KoalaDrive. The compactness of the KoalaDrive allows building a four-tip STM as small as a single-tip STM with a drift of less than 0.2 nm/min at room temperature and lowest resonance frequencies of 2.5 kHz (xy) and 5.5 kHz (z). We present as examples of the performance of the multitip STM four point measurements of silicide nanowires and graphene.

Engineering negative differential conductance with the Cu(111) surface state.

PubMed

Heinrich, B W; Rastei, M V; Choi, D-J; Frederiksen, T; Limot, L

2011-12-09

Low-temperature scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy are employed to investigate electron tunneling from a C60-terminated tip into a Cu(111) surface. Tunneling between a C60 orbital and the Shockley surface states of copper is shown to produce negative differential conductance (NDC) contrary to conventional expectations. NDC can be tuned through barrier thickness or C60 orientation up to complete extinction. The orientation dependence of NDC is a result of a symmetry matching between the molecular tip and the surface states.

Quantum Tunnelling to the Origin and Evolution of Life

PubMed Central

Trixler, Frank

2013-01-01

Quantum tunnelling is a phenomenon which becomes relevant at the nanoscale and below. It is a paradox from the classical point of view as it enables elementary particles and atoms to permeate an energetic barrier without the need for sufficient energy to overcome it. Tunnelling might seem to be an exotic process only important for special physical effects and applications such as the Tunnel Diode, Scanning Tunnelling Microscopy (electron tunnelling) or Near-field Optical Microscopy operating in photon tunnelling mode. However, this review demonstrates that tunnelling can do far more, being of vital importance for life: physical and chemical processes which are crucial in theories about the origin and evolution of life can be traced directly back to the effects of quantum tunnelling. These processes include the chemical evolution in stellar interiors and within the cold interstellar medium, prebiotic chemistry in the atmosphere and subsurface of planetary bodies, planetary habitability via insolation and geothermal heat as well as the function of biomolecular nanomachines. This review shows that quantum tunnelling has many highly important implications to the field of molecular and biological evolution, prebiotic chemistry and astrobiology. PMID:24039543

System and method for compressive scanning electron microscopy

DOEpatents

Reed, Bryan W

2015-01-13

A scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) system is disclosed. The system may make use of an electron beam scanning system configured to generate a plurality of electron beam scans over substantially an entire sample, with each scan varying in electron-illumination intensity over a course of the scan. A signal acquisition system may be used for obtaining at least one of an image, a diffraction pattern, or a spectrum from the scans, the image, diffraction pattern, or spectrum representing only information from at least one of a select subplurality or linear combination of all pixel locations comprising the image. A dataset may be produced from the information. A subsystem may be used for mathematically analyzing the dataset to predict actual information that would have been produced by each pixel location of the image.

Development of a scanning tunneling potentiometry system for measurement of electronic transport at short length scales

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rozler, Michael

It is clear that complete understanding of macroscopic properties of materials is impossible without a thorough knowledge of behavior at the smallest length scales. While the past 25 years have witnessed major advances in a variety of techniques that probe the nanoscale properties of matter, electrical transport measurements -- the heart of condensed matter research -- have lagged behind, never progressing beyond bulk measurements. This thesis describes a scanning tunneling potentiometry (STP) system developed to simultaneously map the transport-related electrochemical potential distribution of a biased sample along with its surface topography, extending electronic transport measurements to the nanoscale. Combining a novel sample biasing technique with a continuous current-nulling feedback scheme pushes the noise performance of the measurement to its fundamental limit - the Johnson noise of the STM tunnel junction. The resulting 130 nV voltage sensitivity allows us to spatially resolve local potentials at scales down to 2 nm, while maintaining atomic scale STM imaging, all at scan sizes of up to 15 microns. A mm-range two-dimensional coarse positioning stage and the ability to operate from liquid helium to room temperature with a fast turn-around time greatly expand the versatility of the instrument. Use of carefully selected model materials, combined with excellent topographic and voltage resolution has allowed us to distinguish measurement artifacts caused by surface roughness from true potentiometric features, a major problem in previous STP measurements. The measurements demonstrate that STP can produce physically meaningful results for homogeneous transport as well as non-uniform conduction dominated by material microstructures. Measurements of several physically interesting materials systems are presented as well, revealing new behaviors at the smallest length sales. The results establish scanning tunneling potentiometry as a useful tool for physics and materials science.

Tailoring Dirac Fermions in Molecular Graphene

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gomes, Kenjiro K.; Mar, Warren; Ko, Wonhee; Camp, Charlie D.; Rastawicki, Dominik K.; Guinea, Francisco; Manoharan, Hari C.

2012-02-01

The dynamics of electrons in solids is tied to the band structure created by a periodic atomic potential. The design of artificial lattices, assembled through atomic manipulation, opens the door to engineer electronic band structure and to create novel quantum states. We present scanning tunneling spectroscopic measurements of a nanoassembled honeycomb lattice displaying a Dirac fermion band structure. The artificial lattice is created by atomic manipulation of single CO molecules with the scanning tunneling microscope on the surface of Cu(111). The periodic potential generated by the assembled CO molecules reshapes the band structure of the two-dimensional electron gas, present as a surface state of Cu(111), into a ``molecular graphene'' system. We create local defects in the lattice to observe the quasiparticle interference patterns that unveil the underlying band structure. We present direct comparison between the tunneling data, first-principles calculations of the band structure, and tight-binding models.

Modeling of Electronic Transport in Scanning Tunneling Microscope Tip-Carbon Nanotube Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yamada, Toshishige; Kwak, Dochan (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

A model is proposed for two observed current-voltage (I-V) patterns in a recent experiment with a scanning tunneling microscope tip and a carbon nanotube. We claim that there are two mechanical contact modes for a tip (metal) -nanotube (semiconductor) junction (1) with or (2) without a tiny vacuum gap (0.1 - 0.2 nm). With the tip grounded, the tunneling case in (1) would produce large dI/dV with V > 0, small dI/dV with V < 0, and I = 0 near V = 0 for an either n- or p-nanotube; the Schottky mechanism in (2) would result in I does not equal 0 only with V < 0 for an n-nanotube, and the bias polarities would be reversed for a p-nanotube. The two observed I-V patterns are thus entirely explained by a tip-nanotube contact of the two types, where the nanotube must be n-type.

Scanning Tunneling Microscopy Observation of Phonon Condensate

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Altfeder, Igor; Balatsky, Alexander V.; Voevodin, Andrey A.

Using quantum tunneling of electrons into vibrating surface atoms, phonon oscillations can be observed on the atomic scale. Phonon interference patterns with unusually large signal amplitudes have been revealed by scanning tunneling microscopy in intercalated van der Waals heterostructures. Our results show that the effective radius of these phonon quasi-bound states, the real-space distribution of phonon standing wave amplitudes, the scattering phase shifts, and the nonlinear intermode coupling strongly depend on the presence of defect-induced scattering resonance. The observed coherence of these quasi-bound states most likely arises from phase- and frequency-synchronized dynamics of all phonon modes, and indicates the formationmore » of many-body condensate of optical phonons around resonant defects. We found that increasing the strength of the scattering resonance causes the increase of the condensate droplet radius without affecting the condensate fraction inside it. The condensate can be observed at room temperature.« less

Scanning Tunneling Microscopy Observation of Phonon Condensate

PubMed Central

Altfeder, Igor; Voevodin, Andrey A.; Check, Michael H.; Eichfeld, Sarah M.; Robinson, Joshua A.; Balatsky, Alexander V.

2017-01-01

Using quantum tunneling of electrons into vibrating surface atoms, phonon oscillations can be observed on the atomic scale. Phonon interference patterns with unusually large signal amplitudes have been revealed by scanning tunneling microscopy in intercalated van der Waals heterostructures. Our results show that the effective radius of these phonon quasi-bound states, the real-space distribution of phonon standing wave amplitudes, the scattering phase shifts, and the nonlinear intermode coupling strongly depend on the presence of defect-induced scattering resonance. The observed coherence of these quasi-bound states most likely arises from phase- and frequency-synchronized dynamics of all phonon modes, and indicates the formation of many-body condensate of optical phonons around resonant defects. We found that increasing the strength of the scattering resonance causes the increase of the condensate droplet radius without affecting the condensate fraction inside it. The condensate can be observed at room temperature. PMID:28225066

Scanning Tunneling Microscopy Observation of Phonon Condensate

DOE PAGES

Altfeder, Igor; Balatsky, Alexander V.; Voevodin, Andrey A.; ...

2017-02-22

Using quantum tunneling of electrons into vibrating surface atoms, phonon oscillations can be observed on the atomic scale. Phonon interference patterns with unusually large signal amplitudes have been revealed by scanning tunneling microscopy in intercalated van der Waals heterostructures. Our results show that the effective radius of these phonon quasi-bound states, the real-space distribution of phonon standing wave amplitudes, the scattering phase shifts, and the nonlinear intermode coupling strongly depend on the presence of defect-induced scattering resonance. The observed coherence of these quasi-bound states most likely arises from phase- and frequency-synchronized dynamics of all phonon modes, and indicates the formationmore » of many-body condensate of optical phonons around resonant defects. We found that increasing the strength of the scattering resonance causes the increase of the condensate droplet radius without affecting the condensate fraction inside it. The condensate can be observed at room temperature.« less

Chiral Majorana fermion modes regulated by a scanning tunneling microscope tip

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Yan-Feng; Hou, Zhe; Zhang, Ying-Tao; Sun, Qing-Feng

2018-03-01

The Majorana fermion can be described by a real wave function with only two phases (zero and π ) which provide a controllable degree of freedom. We propose a strategy to regulate the phase of the chiral Majorana state by coupling with a scanning tunneling microscope tip in a system consisting of a quantum anomalous Hall insulator coupled with a superconductor. With the change in the chemical potential, the chiral Majorana state can be tuned alternately between zero and π , in which the perfect normal tunneling and perfect crossed Andreev reflection appear, respectively. The perfect crossed Andreev reflection, by which a Cooper pair can be split into two electrons going into different terminals completely, leads to a pumping current and distinct quantized resistances. These findings may provide a signature of Majorana fermions and pave a feasible avenue to regulate the phase of the Majorana state.

Resonant-enhanced spectroscopy of molecular rotations with a scanning tunneling microscope.

PubMed

Natterer, Fabian Donat; Patthey, François; Brune, Harald

2014-07-22

We use rotational excitation spectroscopy with a scanning tunneling microscope to investigate the rotational properties of molecular hydrogen and its isotopes physisorbed on the surfaces of graphene and hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN), grown on Ni(111), Ru(0001), and Rh(111). The rotational excitation energies are in good agreement with ΔJ = 2 transitions of freely spinning p-H2 and o-D2 molecules. The variations of the spectral line shapes for H2 among the different surfaces can be traced back to a molecular resonance-mediated tunneling mechanism. Our data for H2/h-BN/Rh(111) suggest a local intrinsic gating on this surface due to lateral static dipoles. Spectra on a mixed monolayer of H2, HD, and D2 display all three J = 0 → 2 rotational transitions, irrespective of tip position, thus pointing to a multimolecule excitation, or molecular mobility in the physisorbed close-packed layer.

Measurement of bone mineral density in the tunnel regions for anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, computed tomography scan, and the immersion technique based on Archimedes' principle.

PubMed

Tie, Kai; Wang, Hua; Wang, Xin; Chen, Liaobin

2012-10-01

To determine, for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction, whether the bone mineral density (BMD) of the femoral tunnel was higher than that of the tibial tunnel, to provide objective evidence for choosing the appropriate diameter of interference screws. Two groups were enrolled. One group comprised 30 normal volunteers, and the other comprised 9 patients with ACL rupture. Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry was used to measure the BMD of the femoral and tibial tunnel regions of the volunteers' right knees by choosing a circular area covering the screw fixation region. The knees were also scanned by spiral computed tomography (CT), and the 3-dimensional reconstruction technique was used to determine the circular sections passing through the longitudinal axis of the femoral and tibial tunnels. Grayscale CT values of the cross-sectional area were measured. Cylindrical cancellous bone blocks were removed from the femoral and tibial tunnels during the ACL reconstruction for the patients. The volumetric BMD of the bone blocks was measured using a standardized immersion technique according to Archimedes' principle. As measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, the BMD of the femoral and tibial tunnel regions was 1.162 ± 0.034 g/cm(2) and 0.814 ± 0.038 g/cm(2), respectively (P < .01). The CT value of the femoral tunnel region was 211.7 ± 11.5 Hounsfield units, and the value of the tibial tunnel region was 104.9 ± 7.4 Hounsfield units (P < .01). The volumetric BMD of the bone block from the femoral tunnel (2.80 ± 0.88 g/cm(3)) was higher than the value from the tibial tunnel (1.88 ± 0.59 g/cm(3)) (P < .01). Comparing the data between male and female patients, we found no significant difference in both femoral and tibial tunnel regions. For ACL reconstruction, the BMD of the femoral tunnel is higher than that of the tibial tunnel. This implies that a proportionally larger-diameter interference screw should be used for fixation in the proximal tibia than that used for fixation in the distal femur. Level IV, therapeutic case series. Copyright © 2012 Arthroscopy Association of North America. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Atomically Thin Al2O3 Films for Tunnel Junctions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wilt, Jamie; Gong, Youpin; Gong, Ming; Su, Feifan; Xu, Huikai; Sakidja, Ridwan; Elliot, Alan; Lu, Rongtao; Zhao, Shiping; Han, Siyuan; Wu, Judy Z.

2017-06-01

Metal-insulator-metal tunnel junctions are common throughout the microelectronics industry. The industry standard AlOx tunnel barrier, formed through oxygen diffusion into an Al wetting layer, is plagued by internal defects and pinholes which prevent the realization of atomically thin barriers demanded for enhanced quantum coherence. In this work, we employ in situ scanning tunneling spectroscopy along with molecular-dynamics simulations to understand and control the growth of atomically thin Al2O3 tunnel barriers using atomic-layer deposition. We find that a carefully tuned initial H2O pulse hydroxylated the Al surface and enabled the creation of an atomically thin Al2O3 tunnel barrier with a high-quality M -I interface and a significantly enhanced barrier height compared to thermal AlOx . These properties, corroborated by fabricated Josephson junctions, show that atomic-layer deposition Al2O3 is a dense, leak-free tunnel barrier with a low defect density which can be a key component for the next generation of metal-insulator-metal tunnel junctions.

Tracking the ultrafast motion of a single molecule by femtosecond orbital imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cocker, Tyler L.; Peller, Dominik; Yu, Ping; Repp, Jascha; Huber, Rupert

2016-11-01

Watching a single molecule move on its intrinsic timescale has been one of the central goals of modern nanoscience, and calls for measurements that combine ultrafast temporal resolution with atomic spatial resolution. Steady-state experiments access the requisite spatial scales, as illustrated by direct imaging of individual molecular orbitals using scanning tunnelling microscopy or the acquisition of tip-enhanced Raman and luminescence spectra with sub-molecular resolution. But tracking the intrinsic dynamics of a single molecule directly in the time domain faces the challenge that interactions with the molecule must be confined to a femtosecond time window. For individual nanoparticles, such ultrafast temporal confinement has been demonstrated by combining scanning tunnelling microscopy with so-called lightwave electronics, which uses the oscillating carrier wave of tailored light pulses to directly manipulate electronic motion on timescales faster even than a single cycle of light. Here we build on ultrafast terahertz scanning tunnelling microscopy to access a state-selective tunnelling regime, where the peak of a terahertz electric-field waveform transiently opens an otherwise forbidden tunnelling channel through a single molecular state. It thereby removes a single electron from an individual pentacene molecule’s highest occupied molecular orbital within a time window shorter than one oscillation cycle of the terahertz wave. We exploit this effect to record approximately 100-femtosecond snapshot images of the orbital structure with sub-ångström spatial resolution, and to reveal, through pump/probe measurements, coherent molecular vibrations at terahertz frequencies directly in the time domain. We anticipate that the combination of lightwave electronics and the atomic resolution of our approach will open the door to visualizing ultrafast photochemistry and the operation of molecular electronics on the single-orbital scale.

Tracking the ultrafast motion of a single molecule by femtosecond orbital imaging

PubMed Central

Yu, Ping; Repp, Jascha; Huber, Rupert

2017-01-01

Watching a single molecule move on its intrinsic time scale—one of the central goals of modern nanoscience—calls for measurements that combine ultrafast temporal resolution1–8 with atomic spatial resolution9–30. Steady-state experiments achieve the requisite spatial resolution, as illustrated by direct imaging of individual molecular orbitals using scanning tunnelling microscopy9–11 or the acquisition of tip-enhanced Raman and luminescence spectra with sub-molecular resolution27–29. But tracking the dynamics of a single molecule directly in the time domain faces the challenge that single-molecule excitations need to be confined to an ultrashort time window. A first step towards overcoming this challenge has combined scanning tunnelling microscopy with so-called ‘lightwave electronics”1–8, which uses the oscillating carrier wave of tailored light pulses to directly manipulate electronic motion on time scales faster even than that of a single cycle of light. Here we use such ultrafast terahertz scanning tunnelling microscopy to access a state-selective tunnelling regime, where the peak of a terahertz electric-field waveform transiently opens an otherwise forbidden tunnelling channel through a single molecular state and thereby removes a single electron from an individual pentacene molecule’s highest occupied molecular orbital within a time window shorter than one oscillation cycle of the terahertz wave. We exploit this effect to record ~100 fs snapshot images of the structure of the orbital involved, and to reveal through pump-probe measurements coherent molecular vibrations at terahertz frequencies directly in the time domain and with sub-angstrom spatial resolution. We anticipate that the combination of lightwave electronics1–8 and atomic resolution of our approach will open the door to controlling electronic motion inside individual molecules at optical clock rates. PMID:27830788

Nano-material processing with laser radiation in the near field of a scanning probe tip

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jersch, J.; Demming, F.; Hildenhagen, J.; Dickmann, K.

1998-04-01

We report preliminary results of using a scanning probe microscope/laser combination to perform nanostructuring on insulator and metal surfaces in air. This technique enables processing of structures with a lateral resolution of approximately 10 nm. In this paper we present our last structuring results with both scanning tunnelling and scanning force microscopy. Some possible interaction mechanisms responsible for the structuring will be discussed.

EDITORIAL: Close contact Close contact

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Demming, Anna

2010-07-01

The development of scanning probe techniques, such as scanning tunnelling microscopy [1], has often been touted as the catalyst for the surge in activity and progress in nanoscale science and technology. Images of nanoscale structural detail have served as an invaluable investigative resource and continue to fascinate with the fantastical reality of an intricate nether world existing all around us, but hidden from view of the naked eye by a disparity in scale. As is so often the case, the invention of the scanning tunnelling microscope heralded far more than just a useful new apparatus, it demonstrated the scope for exploiting the subtleties of electronic contact. The shrinking of electronic devices has been a driving force for research into molecular electronics, in which an understanding of the nature of electronic contact at junctions is crucial. In response, the number of experimental techniques in molecular electronics has increased rapidly in recent years. Scanning tunnelling microscopes have been used to study electron transfer through molecular films on a conducting substrate, and the need to monitor the contact force of scanning tunnelling electrodes led to the use of atomic force microscopy probes coated in a conducting layer as studied by Cui and colleagues in Arizona [2]. In this issue a collaboration of researchers at Delft University and Leiden University in the Netherlands report a new device architecture for the independent mechanical and electrostatic tuning of nanoscale charge transport, which will enable thorough studies of molecular transport in the future [3]. Scanning probes can also be used to pattern surfaces, such as through spatially-localized Suzuki and Heck reactions in chemical scanning probe lithography. Mechanistic aspects of spatially confined Suzuki and Heck chemistry are also reported in this issue by researchers in Oxford [4]. All these developments in molecular electronics fabrication and characterization provide alternative means to produce nanoscale device elements, such as carbon nanotube transistors [5] and high-density memory crossbar circuits [6]. Recently, the use of scanning tunnelling microscopes has broached a new field of research, which is currently attracting enormous interest—single molecule detection. In issue 25 of Nanotechnology researchers in Houston reported unprecedented sensitivities using localized surface plasmon resonance shifts of gold bipyramids to detect concentrations of substances down to the single molecule level [7]. In issue 26 a collaboration of researchers from the US and Czech Republic describe a different approach, namely tunnelling recognition. In their topical review they describe hydrogen-bond mediated tunnelling and the associated experimental methods that facilitate the detection of single molecules in a tunnel junction using chemically functionalized electrodes [8]. The nanoworld depicted by scanning probe microgaphs over 20 years ago may have looked as extraterrestrial as any science fiction generated alien terrain, but though study and analysis these nano-landscapes have become significantly less alien territory. The work so far to unveil the intricacies of electronic contact has been a story of progress in investigating this new territory and manipulating the mechanisms that govern it to formulate new devices and delve deeper into phenomena at the nanoscale. References [1] Binning G, Rohrer H, Gerber Ch and Weibel E 1982 Phys. Rev. Lett. 49 57-61 [2] X D Cui, X Zarate, J Tomfohr, O F Sankey, A Primak, A L Moore, T A Moore, D Gust, G~Harris and S M Lindsay 2002 Nanotechnology 13 5-14 [3] Martin C A, van Ruitenbeek J M and van der Zant S J H 2010 Nanotechnology 21 265201 [4] Davis J J and Hanyu Y 2010 Nanotechnology 21 265302 [5] Tans S J, Verschueren A R M and Dekker C 1998 Nature 393 49-52 [6] Chen Y, Jung G-Y, Ohlberg D A A, Li X, Stewart D R, Jeppesen J O, Nielsen K A, Stoddart J F and Williams R S 2003 Nanotechnology 14 462-8 [7] Mayer K M, Hao F, Lee S, Nordlander P and Hafner J H 2010 Nanotechnology 21 255503 [8] Lindsay S, He J, Sankey O, Hapala P, Jelinek P, Zhang P, Chang S and Huang S 2010 Nanotechnology 21 262001

Lithography-Free Fabrication of Core-Shell GaAs Nanowire Tunnel Diodes.

PubMed

Darbandi, A; Kavanagh, K L; Watkins, S P

2015-08-12

GaAs core-shell p-n junction tunnel diodes were demonstrated by combining vapor-liquid-solid growth with gallium oxide deposition by atomic layer deposition for electrical isolation. The characterization of an ensemble of core-shell structures was enabled by the use of a tungsten probe in a scanning electron microscope without the need for lithographic processing. Radial tunneling transport was observed, exhibiting negative differential resistance behavior with peak-to-valley current ratios of up to 3.1. Peak current densities of up to 2.1 kA/cm(2) point the way to applications in core-shell photovoltaics and tunnel field effect transistors.

Study of optical techniques for the Ames unitary wind tunnels. Part 1: Schlieren

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, George

1992-01-01

Alignment procedures and conceptual designs for the rapid alignment of the Ames Unitary Wind Tunnel schlieren systems were devised. The schlieren systems can be aligned by translating the light source, the mirrors, and the knife edge equal distances. One design for rapid alignment consists of a manual pin locking scheme. The other is a motorized electronic position scheme. A study of two optical concepts which can be used with the schlieren system was made. These are the 'point diffraction interferometers' and the 'focus schlieren'. Effects of vibrations were studied.

Accuracy Assessment of a Canal-Tunnel 3d Model by Comparing Photogrammetry and Laserscanning Recording Techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Charbonnier, P.; Chavant, P.; Foucher, P.; Muzet, V.; Prybyla, D.; Perrin, T.; Grussenmeyer, P.; Guillemin, S.

2013-07-01

With recent developments in the field of technology and computer science, conventional methods are being supplanted by laser scanning and digital photogrammetry. These two different surveying techniques generate 3-D models of real world objects or structures. In this paper, we consider the application of terrestrial Laser scanning (TLS) and photogrammetry to the surveying of canal tunnels. The inspection of such structures requires time, safe access, specific processing and professional operators. Therefore, a French partnership proposes to develop a dedicated equipment based on image processing for visual inspection of canal tunnels. A 3D model of the vault and side walls of the tunnel is constructed from images recorded onboard a boat moving inside the tunnel. To assess the accuracy of this photogrammetric model (PM), a reference model is build using static TLS. We here address the problem comparing the resulting point clouds. Difficulties arise because of the highly differentiated acquisition processes, which result in very different point densities. We propose a new tool, designed to compare differences between pairs of point cloud or surfaces (triangulated meshes). Moreover, dealing with huge datasets requires the implementation of appropriate structures and algorithms. Several techniques are presented : point-to-point, cloud-to-cloud and cloud-to-mesh. In addition farthest point resampling, octree structure and Hausdorff distance are adopted and described. Experimental results are shown for a 475 m long canal tunnel located in France.

Chemistry at molecular junctions: Rotation and dissociation of O2 on the Ag(110) surface induced by a scanning tunneling microscope.

PubMed

Roy, Sharani; Mujica, Vladimiro; Ratner, Mark A

2013-08-21

The scanning tunneling microscope (STM) is a fascinating tool used to perform chemical processes at the single-molecule level, including bond formation, bond breaking, and even chemical reactions. Hahn and Ho [J. Chem. Phys. 123, 214702 (2005)] performed controlled rotations and dissociations of single O2 molecules chemisorbed on the Ag(110) surface at precise bias voltages using STM. These threshold voltages were dependent on the direction of the bias voltage and the initial orientation of the chemisorbed molecule. They also observed an interesting voltage-direction-dependent and orientation-dependent pathway selectivity suggestive of mode-selective chemistry at molecular junctions, such that in one case the molecule underwent direct dissociation, whereas in the other case it underwent rotation-mediated dissociation. We present a detailed, first-principles-based theoretical study to investigate the mechanism of the tunneling-induced O2 dynamics, including the origin of the observed threshold voltages, the pathway dependence, and the rate of O2 dissociation. Results show a direct correspondence between the observed threshold voltage for a process and the activation energy for that process. The pathway selectivity arises from a competition between the voltage-modified barrier heights for rotation and dissociation, and the coupling strength of the tunneling electrons to the rotational and vibrational modes of the adsorbed molecule. Finally, we explore the "dipole" and "resonance" mechanisms of inelastic electron tunneling to elucidate the energy transfer between the tunneling electrons and chemisorbed O2.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mehlhorn, Michael; Morgenstern, Karina, E-mail: karina.morgenstern@rub.de

We compare the adsorption of oxygen molecules on Ag(100) at 60 K and at 100 K. At both temperatures, the molecules form islands. Differences between the species adsorbed at the two temperatures in both low-temperature scanning tunneling microscopy and inelastic electron tunneling spectroscopy are attributed to two different adsorption states, a chemisorbed state after 100 K adsorption and a physisorbed state after 60 K adsorption.

Tunneling Spectroscopy Study of Spin-Polarized Quasiparticle Injection Effects in Cuparate/Manganite Heterostructures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wei, J. Y. T.; Yeh, N. C.; Vasquez, R. P.

1998-01-01

Scanning tunneling spectroscopy was performed at 4.2K on epitaxial thin-film heterostructures comprising YBa2Cu3O7 and La0.7Ca0.3MnO3, to study the microscopic effects of spin-polarized quasiparticle injection from the half-metallic ferromagnetic manganite on the high-Tc cuprate superconductor.

Framework for three-dimensional coherent diffraction imaging by focused beam x-ray Bragg ptychography.

PubMed

Hruszkewycz, Stephan O; Holt, Martin V; Tripathi, Ash; Maser, Jörg; Fuoss, Paul H

2011-06-15

We present the framework for convergent beam Bragg ptychography, and, using simulations, we demonstrate that nanocrystals can be ptychographically reconstructed from highly convergent x-ray Bragg diffraction. The ptychographic iterative engine is extended to three dimensions and shown to successfully reconstruct a simulated nanocrystal using overlapping raster scans with a defocused curved beam, the diameter of which matches the crystal size. This object reconstruction strategy can serve as the basis for coherent diffraction imaging experiments at coherent scanning nanoprobe x-ray sources.

Breaking the diffraction limit of light-sheet fluorescence microscopy by RESOLFT

PubMed Central

Hoyer, Patrick; de Medeiros, Gustavo; Balázs, Bálint; Norlin, Nils; Besir, Christina; Hanne, Janina; Kräusslich, Hans-Georg; Engelhardt, Johann; Sahl, Steffen J.; Hell, Stefan W.; Hufnagel, Lars

2016-01-01

We present a plane-scanning RESOLFT [reversible saturable/switchable optical (fluorescence) transitions] light-sheet (LS) nanoscope, which fundamentally overcomes the diffraction barrier in the axial direction via confinement of the fluorescent molecular state to a sheet of subdiffraction thickness around the focal plane. To this end, reversibly switchable fluorophores located right above and below the focal plane are transferred to a nonfluorescent state at each scanning step. LS-RESOLFT nanoscopy offers wide-field 3D imaging of living biological specimens with low light dose and axial resolution far beyond the diffraction barrier. We demonstrate optical sections that are thinner by 5–12-fold compared with their conventional diffraction-limited LS analogs. PMID:26984498

Note: Low-temperature scanning tunneling microscope with detachable scanner and reliable transfer mechanism for tip and sample exchange

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ge, Weifeng; Wang, Jihao; Wang, Junting; Zhang, Jing; Hou, Yubin; Lu, Qingyou

2017-12-01

A homebuilt low-temperature scanning tunneling microscope (STM) featuring a detachable scanner based on a double slider design, along with a reliable transfer mechanism for tip and sample exchange, is present. The coarse motor is decoupled from the scanner, which prevents the motor instabilities including vibrations and drifts from entering the tip-sample loop and thus improves the performance of the STM. In addition, in situ exchange of tips and samples can be implemented easily and reliably using a winch-type transfer mechanism. Atomically resolved images on graphite are demonstrated to show the performance of the proposed STM.

Scanning Tunneling Microscopy analysis of space-exposed polymer films

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kalil, Carol R.; Young, Philip R.

1993-01-01

The characterization of the surface of selected space-exposed polymer films by Scanning Tunneling Microscopy (STM) is reported. Principles of STM, an emerging new technique for materials analysis, are reviewed. The analysis of several films which received up to 5.8 years of low Earth orbital (LEO) exposure onboard the NASA Long Duration Exposure Facility (LDEF) is discussed. Specimens included FEP Teflon thermal blanket material, Kapton film, and several experimental polymer films. Ultraviolet and atomic oxygen-induced crazing and erosion are described. The intent of this paper is to demonstrate how STM is enhancing the understanding of LEO space environmental effects on polymer films.

Thickness determination of biological samples with a zeta-calibrated scanning tunneling microscope.

PubMed Central

Wang, Z H; Hartmann, T; Baumeister, W; Guckenberger, R

1990-01-01

A single-tube scanning tunneling microscope has been zeta-calibrated by using atomic steps of crystalline gold and was used for measuring the thickness of two biological samples, metal-coated as well as uncoated. The hexagonal surface layer of the bacterium Deinococcus radiodurans with an open network-type structure shows thickness values that are strongly influenced by the substrate and the preparation method. In contrast, the thickness of the purple membrane of Halobacterium halobium with its densely packed less-corrugated structure exhibits very little variation in thickness in coated preparations and the values obtained are in good agreement with x-ray data. Images PMID:2251276

Fiber optic light collection system for scanning-tunneling-microscope-induced light emission.

PubMed

Watkins, Neil J; Long, James P; Kafafi, Zakya H; Mäkinen, Antti J

2007-05-01

We report a compact light collection scheme suitable for retrofitting a scanning tunneling microscope (STM) for STM-induced light emission experiments. The approach uses a pair of optical fibers with large core diameters and high numerical apertures to maximize light collection efficiency and to moderate the mechanical precision required for alignment. Bench tests indicate that efficiency reduction is almost entirely due to reflective losses at the fiber ends, while losses due to fiber misalignment have virtually been eliminated. Photon-map imaging with nanometer features is demonstrated on a stepped Au(111) surface with signal rates exceeding 10(4) counts/s.

Scanning Tunneling Microscopy/Spectroscopy study on Optimally Potassium Doped Single Crystal BaFe2 As 2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, Jihua; Li, Ang; Zhang, Chenglin; Dai, Pengcheng; Pan, Shuheng

2011-03-01

The iron pnictide parent compound material can be brought into superconducting state by chemical doping. It is worthwhile to study and compare the hole- and electron-doped iron pnictides. Among the well-known family of AEFe 2 As 2 (AE=Ca, Sr, Ba), the scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy study on hole-doped samples is insufficient. In this talk we will present high resolution STM/STS results on (001) surface of the optimally doped single crystal Ba 0.6 K0.4 Fe 2 As 2 (Tc ~ 37 K). With the data we will discuss the spatial variation of the superconducting energy gap.

A scanning tunneling microscope break junction method with continuous bias modulation.

PubMed

Beall, Edward; Yin, Xing; Waldeck, David H; Wierzbinski, Emil

2015-09-28

Single molecule conductance measurements on 1,8-octanedithiol were performed using the scanning tunneling microscope break junction method with an externally controlled modulation of the bias voltage. Application of an AC voltage is shown to improve the signal to noise ratio of low current (low conductance) measurements as compared to the DC bias method. The experimental results show that the current response of the molecule(s) trapped in the junction and the solvent media to the bias modulation can be qualitatively different. A model RC circuit which accommodates both the molecule and the solvent is proposed to analyze the data and extract a conductance for the molecule.

Imaging Josephson vortices on the surface superconductor Si(111)-(√7×√3)-In using a scanning tunneling microscope.

PubMed

Yoshizawa, Shunsuke; Kim, Howon; Kawakami, Takuto; Nagai, Yuki; Nakayama, Tomonobu; Hu, Xiao; Hasegawa, Yukio; Uchihashi, Takashi

2014-12-12

We have studied the superconducting Si(111)-(√7×√3)-In surface using a ³He-based low-temperature scanning tunneling microscope. Zero-bias conductance images taken over a large surface area reveal that vortices are trapped at atomic steps after magnetic fields are applied. The crossover behavior from Pearl to Josephson vortices is clearly identified from their elongated shapes along the steps and significant recovery of superconductivity within the cores. Our numerical calculations combined with experiments clarify that these characteristic features are determined by the relative strength of the interterrace Josephson coupling at the atomic step.

Note: Low-temperature scanning tunneling microscope with detachable scanner and reliable transfer mechanism for tip and sample exchange.

PubMed

Ge, Weifeng; Wang, Jihao; Wang, Junting; Zhang, Jing; Hou, Yubin; Lu, Qingyou

2017-12-01

A homebuilt low-temperature scanning tunneling microscope (STM) featuring a detachable scanner based on a double slider design, along with a reliable transfer mechanism for tip and sample exchange, is present. The coarse motor is decoupled from the scanner, which prevents the motor instabilities including vibrations and drifts from entering the tip-sample loop and thus improves the performance of the STM. In addition, in situ exchange of tips and samples can be implemented easily and reliably using a winch-type transfer mechanism. Atomically resolved images on graphite are demonstrated to show the performance of the proposed STM.

Scanning-tunneling microscope imaging of single-electron solitons in a material with incommensurate charge-density waves.

PubMed

Brazovskii, Serguei; Brun, Christophe; Wang, Zhao-Zhong; Monceau, Pierre

2012-03-02

We report on scanning-tunneling microscopy experiments in a charge-density wave (CDW) system allowing visually capturing and studying in detail the individual solitons corresponding to the self-trapping of just one electron. This "Amplitude Soliton" is marked by vanishing of the CDW amplitude and by the π shift of its phase. It might be the realization of the spinon--the long-sought particle (along with the holon) in the study of science of strongly correlated electronic systems. As a distinct feature we also observe one-dimensional Friedel oscillations superimposed on the CDW which develop independently of solitons.

Probing the atomic structure of metallic nanoclusters with the tip of a scanning tunneling microscope.

PubMed

Schouteden, Koen; Lauwaet, Koen; Janssens, Ewald; Barcaro, Giovanni; Fortunelli, Alessandro; Van Haesendonck, Chris; Lievens, Peter

2014-02-21

Preformed Co clusters with an average diameter of 2.5 nm are produced in the gas phase and are deposited under controlled ultra-high vacuum conditions onto a thin insulating NaCl film on Au(111). Relying on a combined experimental and theoretical investigation, we demonstrate visualization of the three-dimensional atomic structure of the Co clusters by high-resolution scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) using a Cl functionalized STM tip that can be obtained on the NaCl surface. More generally, use of a functionalized STM tip may allow for systematic atomic structure determination with STM of nanoparticles that are deposited on metal surfaces.

Single molecular orientation switching of an endohedral metallofullerene.

PubMed

Yasutake, Yuhsuke; Shi, Zujin; Okazaki, Toshiya; Shinohara, Hisanori; Majima, Yutaka

2005-06-01

The single molecular orientation switching of the Tb@C82 endohedral metallofullerene has been studied by using low-temperature ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). An octanethiol self-assembled monolayer (SAM) was introduced between Tb@C82 and the Au111 substrate to control the thermal rotational states of Tb@C82. Scanning tunneling spectroscopy (STS) of Tb@C82 on an octanethiol SAM at 13 K demonstrated hysteresis including negative differential conductance (NDC). This observed hysteresis and NDC is interpreted in terms of a switching of the Tb@C82 molecular orientation caused by the interaction between its electric dipole moment and an external electric field.

Electrical transport and low-temperature scanning tunneling microscopy of microsoldered graphene

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Geringer, V.; Subramaniam, D.; Michel, A. K.; Szafranek, B.; Schall, D.; Georgi, A.; Mashoff, T.; Neumaier, D.; Liebmann, M.; Morgenstern, M.

2010-02-01

Using the recently developed technique of microsoldering, we perform systematic transport studies of the influence of polymethylmethacrylate on graphene revealing a doping effect with a n-type dopant density Δn of up to Δn =3.8×1012 cm-2 but negligible influence on mobility and hysteresis. Moreover, we show that microsoldered graphene is free of contamination and exhibits very similar intrinsic rippling as found for lithographically contacted flakes. Characterizing the microsoldered sample by scanning tunneling spectroscopy, we demonstrate a current induced closing of the phonon gap and a B-field induced double peak attributed to the 0 Landau level.

Quasiparticle scattering in type-II Weyl semimetal MoTe2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Chun-Liang; Arafune, Ryuichi; Minamitani, Emi; Kawai, Maki; Takagi, Noriaki

2018-03-01

The electronic structure of type-II Weyl semimetal molybdenum ditelluride (MoTe2) is studied by using scanning tunneling microscopy and density functional theory calculations. Through measuring energy-dependent quasiparticle interference (QPI) patterns with a cryogenic scanning tunneling microscope, several characteristic features are found in the QPI patterns. Two of them arise from the Weyl semimetal nature; one is the topological Fermi arc surface state and the other can be assigned to be a Weyl point. The remaining structures are derived from the scatterings relevant to the bulk electronic states. The findings lead to further understanding of the topological electronic structure of type-II Weyl semimetal MoTe2.

Quasiparticle scattering in type-II Weyl semimetal MoTe2.

PubMed

Lin, Chun-Liang; Arafune, Ryuichi; Minamitani, Emi; Kawai, Maki; Takagi, Noriaki

2018-02-15

The electronic structure of type-II Weyl semimetal molybdenum ditelluride (MoTe 2 ) is studied by using scanning tunneling microscopy and density functional theory calculations. Through measuring energy-dependent quasiparticle interference (QPI) patterns with a cryogenic scanning tunneling microscope, several characteristic features are found in the QPI patterns. Two of them arise from the Weyl semimetal nature; one is the topological Fermi arc surface state and the other can be assigned to be a Weyl point. The remaining structures are derived from the scatterings relevant to the bulk electronic states. The findings lead to further understanding of the topological electronic structure of type-II Weyl semimetal MoTe 2 .

Fabrication of Gate-tunable Graphene Devices for Scanning Tunneling Microscopy Studies with Coulomb Impurities

PubMed Central

Jung, Han Sae; Tsai, Hsin-Zon; Wong, Dillon; Germany, Chad; Kahn, Salman; Kim, Youngkyou; Aikawa, Andrew S.; Desai, Dhruv K.; Rodgers, Griffin F.; Bradley, Aaron J.; Velasco, Jairo; Watanabe, Kenji; Taniguchi, Takashi; Wang, Feng; Zettl, Alex; Crommie, Michael F.

2015-01-01

Owing to its relativistic low-energy charge carriers, the interaction between graphene and various impurities leads to a wealth of new physics and degrees of freedom to control electronic devices. In particular, the behavior of graphene’s charge carriers in response to potentials from charged Coulomb impurities is predicted to differ significantly from that of most materials. Scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and scanning tunneling spectroscopy (STS) can provide detailed information on both the spatial and energy dependence of graphene's electronic structure in the presence of a charged impurity. The design of a hybrid impurity-graphene device, fabricated using controlled deposition of impurities onto a back-gated graphene surface, has enabled several novel methods for controllably tuning graphene’s electronic properties.1-8 Electrostatic gating enables control of the charge carrier density in graphene and the ability to reversibly tune the charge2 and/or molecular5 states of an impurity. This paper outlines the process of fabricating a gate-tunable graphene device decorated with individual Coulomb impurities for combined STM/STS studies.2-5 These studies provide valuable insights into the underlying physics, as well as signposts for designing hybrid graphene devices. PMID:26273961

A scanning tunneling microscope study on an ordered mixed monolayer of bis(4,5-dihydronaphtho[1,2-d])-tetrathiafulvalene and n-tetradecane on highly oriented pyrolytic graphite.

PubMed

Zhao, Miao; Jiang, Peng; Deng, Ke; Jiang, Chao

2010-11-01

Tetrathiafulvalene (TTF) and its derivatives (TTFs) have been successfully used as building blocks to form charge transfer salts and organic semiconductors because of their special structures and rich electron nature. We report the formation of ordered mixed binary-component monolayer consisting of Bis(4,5-dihydronaphtho[1,2-d])tetrathiafulvalene (DH-TTF) and n-tetradecane (n-C14H30) molecules on highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) surface. Scanning tunneling microscope (STM) imaging reveals that the two different kinds of molecules can spontaneously form ordered periodic phase separation structures on the substrate, in which ordered DH-TTF double- (or single-) lamella structures are periodically tuned by ordered n-C14H30 double- (or single-) lamella structures. Furthermore, scanning tunneling spectrum (STS) measurements by addressing the individual DH-TTF and n-C14H30 molecules in the ordered monolayer show that the two different kinds of molecules exhibit completely different I(V) characters on the HOPG substrate. The modulated arrangement of the TTF derivative by insulating molecules opens a possible route to construct organic conducting molecule ribbons for potential application in nanodevices.

Dark-field imaging based on post-processed electron backscatter diffraction patterns of bulk crystalline materials in a scanning electron microscope.

PubMed

Brodusch, Nicolas; Demers, Hendrix; Gauvin, Raynald

2015-01-01

Dark-field (DF) images were acquired in the scanning electron microscope with an offline procedure based on electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) patterns (EBSPs). These EBSD-DF images were generated by selecting a particular reflection on the electron backscatter diffraction pattern and by reporting the intensity of one or several pixels around this point at each pixel of the EBSD-DF image. Unlike previous studies, the diffraction information of the sample is the basis of the final image contrast with a pixel scale resolution at the EBSP providing DF imaging in the scanning electron microscope. The offline facility of this technique permits the selection of any diffraction condition available in the diffraction pattern and displaying the corresponding image. The high number of diffraction-based images available allows a better monitoring of deformation structures compared to electron channeling contrast imaging (ECCI) which is generally limited to a few images of the same area. This technique was applied to steel and iron specimens and showed its high capability in describing more rigorously the deformation structures around micro-hardness indents. Due to the offline relation between the reference EBSP and the EBSD-DF images, this new technique will undoubtedly greatly improve our knowledge of deformation mechanism and help to improve our understanding of the ECCI contrast mechanisms. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Towards a quantitative description of tunneling conductance of superconductors: Application to LiFeAs

DOE PAGES

Kreisel, A.; Nelson, R.; Berlijn, T.; ...

2016-12-27

Since the discovery of iron-based superconductors, a number of theories have been put forward to explain the qualitative origin of pairing, but there have been few attempts to make quantitative, material-specific comparisons to experimental results. The spin-fluctuation theory of electronic pairing, based on first-principles electronic structure calculations, makes predictions for the superconducting gap. Within the same framework, the surface wave functions may also be calculated, allowing, e.g., for detailed comparisons between theoretical results and measured scanning tunneling topographs and spectra. We present such a comparison between theory and experiment on the Fe-based superconductor LiFeAs. Our results for the homogeneous surfacemore » as well as impurity states are presented as a benchmark test of the theory. For the homogeneous system, we argue that the maxima of topographic image intensity may be located at positions above either the As or Li atoms, depending on tip height and the setpoint current of the measurement. We further report the experimental observation of transitions between As- and Li-registered lattices as functions of both tip height and setpoint bias, in agreement with this prediction. Next, we give a detailed comparison between the simulated scanning tunneling microscopy images of transition-metal defects with experiment. Finally, we discuss possible extensions of the current framework to obtain a theory with true predictive power for scanning tunneling microscopy in Fe-based systems.« less

Towards a quantitative description of tunneling conductance of superconductors: Application to LiFeAs

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kreisel, A.; Nelson, R.; Berlijn, T.

Since the discovery of iron-based superconductors, a number of theories have been put forward to explain the qualitative origin of pairing, but there have been few attempts to make quantitative, material-specific comparisons to experimental results. The spin-fluctuation theory of electronic pairing, based on first-principles electronic structure calculations, makes predictions for the superconducting gap. Within the same framework, the surface wave functions may also be calculated, allowing, e.g., for detailed comparisons between theoretical results and measured scanning tunneling topographs and spectra. We present such a comparison between theory and experiment on the Fe-based superconductor LiFeAs. Our results for the homogeneous surfacemore » as well as impurity states are presented as a benchmark test of the theory. For the homogeneous system, we argue that the maxima of topographic image intensity may be located at positions above either the As or Li atoms, depending on tip height and the setpoint current of the measurement. We further report the experimental observation of transitions between As- and Li-registered lattices as functions of both tip height and setpoint bias, in agreement with this prediction. Next, we give a detailed comparison between the simulated scanning tunneling microscopy images of transition-metal defects with experiment. Finally, we discuss possible extensions of the current framework to obtain a theory with true predictive power for scanning tunneling microscopy in Fe-based systems.« less

Four-probe measurements with a three-probe scanning tunneling microscope.

PubMed

Salomons, Mark; Martins, Bruno V C; Zikovsky, Janik; Wolkow, Robert A

2014-04-01

We present an ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) three-probe scanning tunneling microscope in which each probe is capable of atomic resolution. A UHV JEOL scanning electron microscope aids in the placement of the probes on the sample. The machine also has a field ion microscope to clean, atomically image, and shape the probe tips. The machine uses bare conductive samples and tips with a homebuilt set of pliers for heating and loading. Automated feedback controlled tip-surface contacts allow for electrical stability and reproducibility while also greatly reducing tip and surface damage due to contact formation. The ability to register inter-tip position by imaging of a single surface feature by multiple tips is demonstrated. Four-probe material characterization is achieved by deploying two tips as fixed current probes and the third tip as a movable voltage probe.

Design of a high-speed electrochemical scanning tunneling microscope.

PubMed

Yanson, Y I; Schenkel, F; Rost, M J

2013-02-01

In this paper, we present a bottom-up approach to designing and constructing a high-speed electrochemical scanning tunneling microscope (EC-STM). Using finite element analysis (FEA) calculations of the frequency response of the whole mechanical loop of the STM, we analyzed several geometries to find the most stable one that could facilitate fast scanning. To test the FEA results, we conducted measurements of the vibration amplitudes using a prototype STM setup. Based on the FEA analysis and the measurement results, we identified the potentially most disturbing vibration modes that could impair fast scanning. By modifying the design of some parts of the EC-STM, we reduced the amplitudes as well as increased the resonance frequencies of these modes. Additionally, we designed and constructed an electrochemical flow-cell that allows STM imaging in a flowing electrolyte, and built a bi-potentiostat to achieve electrochemical potential control during the measurements. Finally, we present STM images acquired during high-speed imaging in air as well as in an electrochemical environment using our newly-developed EC-STM.

Development of 3-D Ice Accretion Measurement Method

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, Sam; Broeren, Andy P.; Addy, Harold E., Jr.; Sills, Robert; Pifer, Ellen M.

2012-01-01

A research plan is currently being implemented by NASA to develop and validate the use of a commercial laser scanner to record and archive fully three-dimensional (3-D) ice shapes from an icing wind tunnel. The plan focused specifically upon measuring ice accreted in the NASA Icing Research Tunnel (IRT). The plan was divided into two phases. The first phase was the identification and selection of the laser scanning system and the post-processing software to purchase and develop further. The second phase was the implementation and validation of the selected system through a series of icing and aerodynamic tests. Phase I of the research plan has been completed. It consisted of evaluating several scanning hardware and software systems against an established selection criteria through demonstrations in the IRT. The results of Phase I showed that all of the scanning systems that were evaluated were equally capable of scanning ice shapes. The factors that differentiated the scanners were ease of use and the ability to operate in a wide range of IRT environmental conditions.

Data reduction of digitized images processed from calibrated photographic and spectroscopic films obtained from terrestial, rocket and space shuttle telescopic instruments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hammond, Ernest C., Jr.

1990-01-01

The Microvax 2 computer, the basic software in VMS, and the Mitsubishi High Speed Disk were received and installed. The digital scanning tunneling microscope is fully installed and operational. A new technique was developed for pseudocolor analysis of the line plot images of a scanning tunneling microscope. Computer studies and mathematical modeling of the empirical data associated with many of the film calibration studies were presented. A gas can follow-up experiment which will be launched in September, on the Space Shuttle STS-50, was prepared and loaded. Papers were presented on the structure of the human hair strand using scanning electron microscopy and x ray analysis and updated research on the annual rings produced by the surf clam of the ocean estuaries of Maryland. Scanning electron microscopic work was conducted by the research team for the study of the Mossbauer and Magnetic Susceptibility Studies on NmNi(4.25)Fe(.85) and its Hydride.

Symposium N: Materials and Devices for Thermal-to-Electric Energy Conversion

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-08-24

X - ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and dynamic light scattering. Thermal conductivity measurements...SEM), X - ray diffraction (XRD) measurements as well as Raman spectroscopy. The results from these techniques indicate a clear modification...was examined by using scanning electron microscope (SEM; HITACHI S-4500 model) attached with an energy dispersive x - ray spectroscopy. The electrical

An IBEM solution to the scattering of plane SH-waves by a lined tunnel in elastic wedge space

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Zhongxian; Liu, Lei

2015-02-01

The indirect boundary element method (IBEM) is developed to solve the scattering of plane SH-waves by a lined tunnel in elastic wedge space. According to the theory of single-layer potential, the scattered-wave field can be constructed by applying virtual uniform loads on the surface of lined tunnel and the nearby wedge surface. The densities of virtual loads can be solved by establishing equations through the continuity conditions on the interface and zero-traction conditions on free surfaces. The total wave field is obtained by the superposition of free field and scattered-wave field in elastic wedge space. Numerical results indicate that the IBEM can solve the diffraction of elastic wave in elastic wedge space accurately and efficiently. The wave motion feature strongly depends on the wedge angle, the angle of incidence, incident frequency, the location of lined tunnel, and material parameters. The waves interference and amplification effect around the tunnel in wedge space is more significant, causing the dynamic stress concentration factor on rigid tunnel and the displacement amplitude of flexible tunnel up to 50.0 and 17.0, respectively, more than double that of the case of half-space. Hence, considerable attention should be paid to seismic resistant or anti-explosion design of the tunnel built on a slope or hillside.

Controlled modulation of hard and soft X-ray induced tunneling currents utilizing coaxial metal-insulator-metal probe tips

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cummings, Marvin; Shirato, Nozomi; Kersell, Heath

Here, the effect of a local external electric field on the barrier potential of a tunneling gap is studied utilizing an emerging technique, synchrotron x-ray scanning tunneling microscopy. Here, we demonstrate that the shape of the potential barrier in the tunneling gap can be altered by a localized external electric field, generated by voltages placed on the metallic outer shield of a nanofabricated coaxial metal-insulator-metal tip, resulting in a controlled linear modulation of the tunneling current. Experiments at hard and soft x-ray synchrotron beamlines reveal that both the chemical contrast and magnetic contrast signals measured by the tip can bemore » drastically enhanced, resulting in improved local detection of chemistry and magnetization at the surface.« less

Controlled modulation of hard and soft X-ray induced tunneling currents utilizing coaxial metal-insulator-metal probe tips

DOE PAGES

Cummings, Marvin; Shirato, Nozomi; Kersell, Heath; ...

2017-01-05

Here, the effect of a local external electric field on the barrier potential of a tunneling gap is studied utilizing an emerging technique, synchrotron x-ray scanning tunneling microscopy. Here, we demonstrate that the shape of the potential barrier in the tunneling gap can be altered by a localized external electric field, generated by voltages placed on the metallic outer shield of a nanofabricated coaxial metal-insulator-metal tip, resulting in a controlled linear modulation of the tunneling current. Experiments at hard and soft x-ray synchrotron beamlines reveal that both the chemical contrast and magnetic contrast signals measured by the tip can bemore » drastically enhanced, resulting in improved local detection of chemistry and magnetization at the surface.« less

New Flexible Channels for Room Temperature Tunneling Field Effect Transistors.

PubMed

Hao, Boyi; Asthana, Anjana; Hazaveh, Paniz Khanmohammadi; Bergstrom, Paul L; Banyai, Douglas; Savaikar, Madhusudan A; Jaszczak, John A; Yap, Yoke Khin

2016-02-05

Tunneling field effect transistors (TFETs) have been proposed to overcome the fundamental issues of Si based transistors, such as short channel effect, finite leakage current, and high contact resistance. Unfortunately, most if not all TFETs are operational only at cryogenic temperatures. Here we report that iron (Fe) quantum dots functionalized boron nitride nanotubes (QDs-BNNTs) can be used as the flexible tunneling channels of TFETs at room temperatures. The electrical insulating BNNTs are used as the one-dimensional (1D) substrates to confine the uniform formation of Fe QDs on their surface as the flexible tunneling channel. Consistent semiconductor-like transport behaviors under various bending conditions are detected by scanning tunneling spectroscopy in a transmission electron microscopy system (in-situ STM-TEM). As suggested by computer simulation, the uniform distribution of Fe QDs enable an averaging effect on the possible electron tunneling pathways, which is responsible for the consistent transport properties that are not sensitive to bending.

Phonon-Mediated Tunneling into Graphene

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wehling, T. O.; Grigorenko, I.; Lichtenstein, A. I.; Balatsky, A. V.

2008-11-01

Recent scanning tunneling spectroscopy experiments on graphene reported an unexpected gap of about ±60meV around the Fermi level [V. W. Brar , Appl. Phys. Lett.APPLAB0003-6951 91, 122102 (2007); 10.1063/1.2771084Y. Zhang , Nature Phys.NPAHAX1745-2481 4, 627 (2008)10.1038/nphys1022]. Here we give a theoretical investigation explaining the experimentally observed spectra and confirming the phonon-mediated tunneling as the reason for the gap: We study the real space properties of the wave functions involved in the tunneling process by means of ab initio theory and present a model for the electron-phonon interaction, which couples the graphene’s Dirac electrons with quasifree-electron states at the Brillouin zone center. The self-energy associated with this electron-phonon interaction is calculated, and its effects on tunneling into graphene are discussed. Good agreement of the tunneling density of states within our model and the experimental dI/dU spectra is found.

Phonon mediated tunneling into graphene

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wehling, Tim; Grigorenko, Ilya; Lichtenstein, Alexander; Balatsky, Alexander

2009-03-01

Recent scanning tunneling spectroscopy experiments [V. W. Brar et al., Appl. Phys. Lett. 91, 122102 (2007); Y. Zhang et al., Nature Phys. 4, 627 (2008)] on graphene reported an unexpected gap of about ±60,eV around the Fermi level. Here, we give a theoretical investigation explaining the experimentally observed spectra and confirming the phonon mediated tunneling as the reason for the gap: We study the real space properties of the wave functions involved in the tunneling process by means of ab-initio theory and present a model for the electron-phonon interaction, which couples the graphene's Dirac electrons with quasi free electron states at the Brillouin zone center. The self-energy associated with this electron-phonon interaction is calculated and its effects on tunneling into graphene are discussed. In particular, good agreement of the tunneling density of states within our model and the experimental dI/dU spectra is found.

Continuous section extraction and over-underbreak detection of tunnel based on 3D laser technology and image analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Weixing; Wang, Zhiwei; Han, Ya; Li, Shuang; Zhang, Xin

2015-03-01

In order to ensure safety, long term stability and quality control in modern tunneling operations, the acquisition of geotechnical information about encountered rock conditions and detailed installed support information is required. The limited space and time in an operational tunnel environment make the acquiring data challenging. The laser scanning in a tunneling environment, however, shows a great potential. The surveying and mapping of tunnels are crucial for the optimal use after construction and in routine inspections. Most of these applications focus on the geometric information of the tunnels extracted from the laser scanning data. There are two kinds of applications widely discussed: deformation measurement and feature extraction. The traditional deformation measurement in an underground environment is performed with a series of permanent control points installed around the profile of an excavation, which is unsuitable for a global consideration of the investigated area. Using laser scanning for deformation analysis provides many benefits as compared to traditional monitoring techniques. The change in profile is able to be fully characterized and the areas of the anomalous movement can easily be separated from overall trends due to the high density of the point cloud data. Furthermore, monitoring with a laser scanner does not require the permanent installation of control points, therefore the monitoring can be completed more quickly after excavation, and the scanning is non-contact, hence, no damage is done during the installation of temporary control points. The main drawback of using the laser scanning for deformation monitoring is that the point accuracy of the original data is generally the same magnitude as the smallest level of deformations that are to be measured. To overcome this, statistical techniques and three dimensional image processing techniques for the point clouds must be developed. For safely, effectively and easily control the problem of Over Underbreak detection of road and solve the problemof the roadway data collection difficulties, this paper presents a new method of continuous section extraction and Over Underbreak detection of road based on 3D laser scanning technology and image processing, the method is divided into the following three steps: based on Canny edge detection, local axis fitting, continuous extraction section and Over Underbreak detection of section. First, after Canny edge detection, take the least-squares curve fitting method to achieve partial fitting in axis. Then adjust the attitude of local roadway that makes the axis of the roadway be consistent with the direction of the extraction reference, and extract section along the reference direction. Finally, we compare the actual cross-sectional view and the cross-sectional design to complete Overbreak detected. Experimental results show that the proposed method have a great advantage in computing costs and ensure cross-section orthogonal intercept terms compared with traditional detection methods.

Multiple diffraction in an icosahedral Al-Cu-Fe quasicrystal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fan, C. Z.; Weber, Th.; Deloudi, S.; Steurer, W.

2011-07-01

In order to reveal its influence on quasicrystal structure analysis, multiple diffraction (MD) effects in an icosahedral Al-Cu-Fe quasicrystal have been investigated in-house on an Oxford Diffraction four-circle diffractometer equipped with an Onyx™ CCD area detector and MoKα radiation. For that purpose, an automated approach for Renninger scans (ψ-scans) has been developed. Two weak reflections were chosen as the main reflections (called P) in the present measurements. As is well known for periodic crystals, it is also observed for this quasicrystal that the intensity of the main reflection may significantly increase if the simultaneous (H) and the coupling (P-H) reflections are both strong, while there is no obvious MD effect if one of them is weak. The occurrence of MD events during ψ-scans has been studied based on an ideal structure model and the kinematical MD theory. The reliability of the approach is revealed by the good agreement between simulation and experiment. It shows that the multiple diffraction effect is quite significant.

Virtual scanning tunneling microscopy: A local spectroscopic probe of two-dimensional electron systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sciambi, A.; Pelliccione, M.; Bank, S. R.; Gossard, A. C.; Goldhaber-Gordon, D.

2010-09-01

We propose a probe technique capable of performing local low-temperature spectroscopy on a two-dimensional electron system (2DES) in a semiconductor heterostructure. Motivated by predicted spatially-structured electron phases, the probe uses a charged metal tip to induce electrons to tunnel locally, directly below the tip, from a "probe" 2DES to a "subject" 2DES of interest. We test this concept with large-area (nonscanning) tunneling measurements, and predict a high spatial resolution and spectroscopic capability, with minimal influence on the physics in the subject 2DES.

Measurement and Control of the Variability of Scanning Pressure Transducer Measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kuhl, David D.; Everhart, Joel L.; Hallissy, James B.

2003-01-01

This paper describes the new wall pressure measurement system and data-quality monitoring software installed at 14x22 Ft subsonic tunnel at the NASA Langley Research Center. The monitoring software was developed to enable measurement and control of the variability of the reference pressures and approximately 400 tunnel wall pressure measurements. Variability of the system, based upon data acquired over a year of wind tunnel tests and calibrations, is presented. The level of variation of the wall pressure measurements is shown to be predictable.

EDITORIAL: Three decades of scanning tunnelling microscopy that changed the course of surface science Three decades of scanning tunnelling microscopy that changed the course of surface science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramachandra Rao, M. S.; Margaritondo, Giorgio

2011-11-01

Three decades ago, with a tiny tip of platinum, the scientific world saw the real space imaging of single atoms with unprecedented spatial resolution. This signalled the birth of one of the most versatile surface probes, based on the physics of quantum mechanical tunnelling: the scanning tunnelling microscope (STM). Invented in 1981 by Gerd Binnig and Heinrich Rohrer of IBM, Zurich, it led to their award of the 1986 Nobel Prize. Atoms, once speculated to be abstract entities used by theoreticians for mere calculations, can be seen to exist for real with the nano-eye of an STM tip that also gives real-space images of molecules and adsorbed complexes on surfaces. From a very fundamental perspective, the STM changed the course of surface science and engineering. STM also emerged as a powerful tool to study various fundamental phenomena relevant to the properties of surfaces in technological applications such as tribology, medical implants, catalysis, sensors and biology—besides elucidating the importance of local bonding geometries and defects, non-periodic structures and the co-existence of nano-scale phases. Atom-level probing, once considered a dream, has seen the light with the evolution of STM. An important off-shoot of STM was the atomic force microscope (AFM) for surface mapping of insulating samples. Then followed the development of a flurry of techniques under the general name of scanning probe microscopy (SPM). These techniques (STM, AFM, MFM, PFM etc) designed for atomic-scale-resolution imaging and spectroscopy, have led to brand new developments in surface analysis. All of these novel methods enabled researchers in recent years to image and analyse complex surfaces on microscopic and nanoscopic scales. All of them utilize a small probe for sensing the surface. The invention of AFM by Gerd Binnig, Calvin Quate and Christopher Gerber opened up new opportunities for characterization of a variety of materials, and various industrial applications could be envisaged. AFM observations of thin-film surfaces give us a picture of surface topography and morphology and any visible defects. The growing importance of ultra-thin films for magnetic recording in hard disk drive systems requires an in-depth understanding of the fundamental mechanisms occurring during growth. This special issue of Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics covers all of the different aspects of SPM that illustrate the achievements of this methodology: nanoscale imaging and mapping (Chiang, and Douillard and Charra), piezoresponse force microscopy (Soergel) and STM engineering (Okuyama and Hamada, and Huang et al). Chiang takes the reader on a journey along the STM imaging of atoms and molecules on surfaces. Jesse and Kalinin explore the band excitations that occur during the corresponding processes. Jia et al propose STM and molecular beam epitaxy as a winning experimental combination at the interface of science and technology. Douillard and Charra describe the high-resolution mapping of plasmonic modes using photoemission and scanning tunnelling microscopy. Cricenti et al demonstrate the importance of SPM in material science and biology. Wiebe et al have probed atomic scale magnetism, revealed by spin polarized scanning tunnelling microscopy. In addition, Simon et al present Fourier transform scanning tunnelling spectroscopy and the possibility to obtain constant energy maps and band dispersion using local measurements. Lackinger and Heckl give a perspective of the use of STM to study covalent intermolecular coupling reactions on surfaces. Okuyama and Hamada investigated hydrogen bond imaging and engineering with STM. Soergel describes the study of substrate-dependent self-assembled CuPc molecules using piezo force microscope (PFM). We are very grateful to the authors and reviewers for the papers in this special issue of Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics. Their contributions have provided a comprehensive picture of the evolution, status and potential of scanning probe microscopy, conveying to the readers the full excitement of this forefront domain of physics.

Tunneling spectroscopy measurements on hydrogen-bonded supramolecular polymers.

PubMed

Vonau, François; Shokri, Roozbeh; Aubel, Dominique; Bouteiller, Laurent; Guskova, Olga; Sommer, Jens-Uwe; Reiter, Günter; Simon, Laurent

2014-07-21

We studied the formation of hydrogen-bonded supramolecular polymers of Ethyl Hexyl Urea Toluene (EHUT) on a gold (111) surface by low temperature scanning tunneling microscopy. Tunneling spectroscopy performed along an individual molecule embedded in a self-assembled layer revealed strong changes in the value of the HOMO-LUMO gap. A variation of the LUMO state is attributed to the effect of space charge accumulation resulting from anisotropic adhesion of the molecule. In addition, for specific tunneling conditions, changes induced through the formation of hydrogen bonds became visible in the differential conductance (dI/dV) maps; isolated molecules, hydrogen bonded dimers and supramolecular polymers of EHUT were distinguishable through their electronic properties.

Tunneling spectroscopy measurements on hydrogen-bonded supramolecular polymers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vonau, François; Shokri, Roozbeh; Aubel, Dominique; Bouteiller, Laurent; Guskova, Olga; Sommer, Jens-Uwe; Reiter, Günter; Simon, Laurent

2014-06-01

We studied the formation of hydrogen-bonded supramolecular polymers of Ethyl Hexyl Urea Toluene (EHUT) on a gold (111) surface by low temperature scanning tunneling microscopy. Tunneling spectroscopy performed along an individual molecule embedded in a self-assembled layer revealed strong changes in the value of the HOMO-LUMO gap. A variation of the LUMO state is attributed to the effect of space charge accumulation resulting from anisotropic adhesion of the molecule. In addition, for specific tunneling conditions, changes induced through the formation of hydrogen bonds became visible in the differential conductance (dI/dV) maps; isolated molecules, hydrogen bonded dimers and supramolecular polymers of EHUT were distinguishable through their electronic properties.

Scanning three-dimensional x-ray diffraction microscopy using a high-energy microbeam

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hayashi, Y., E-mail: y-hayashi@mosk.tytlabs.co.jp; Hirose, Y.; Seno, Y.

2016-07-27

A scanning three-dimensional X-ray diffraction (3DXRD) microscope apparatus with a high-energy microbeam was installed at the BL33XU Toyota beamline at SPring-8. The size of the 50 keV beam focused using Kirkpatrick-Baez mirrors was 1.3 μm wide and 1.6 μm high in full width at half maximum. The scanning 3DXRD method was tested for a cold-rolled carbon steel sheet sample. A three-dimensional orientation map with 37 {sup 3} voxels was obtained.

A cryogen-free variable temperature scanning tunneling microscope capable for inelastic electron tunneling spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Shuai; Huang, Di; Wu, Shiwei

While low temperature scanning tunneling microscope (STM) has become an indispensable research tool in surface science, its versatility is yet limited by the shortage or high cost of liquid helium. The makeshifts include the use of alternative cryogen (such as liquid nitrogen) at higher temperature or the development of helium liquefier system usually at departmental or campus wide. The ultimate solution would be the direct integration of a cryogen-free cryocooler based on GM or pulse tube closed cycle in the STM itself. However, the nasty mechanical vibration at low frequency intrinsic to cryocoolers has set the biggest obstacle because of the known challenges in vibration isolation required to high performance of STM. In this talk, we will present the design and performance of our home-built cryogen-free variable temperature STM at Fudan University. This system can obtain atomically sharp STM images and high resolution dI/dV spectra comparable to state-of-the-art low temperature STMs, but with no limitation on running hours. Moreover, we demonstrated the inelastic tunneling spectroscopy (STM-IETS) on a single CO molecule with a cryogen-free STM for the first time.

Near-Field Enhanced Photochemistry of Single Molecules in a Scanning Tunneling Microscope Junction.

PubMed

Böckmann, Hannes; Gawinkowski, Sylwester; Waluk, Jacek; Raschke, Markus B; Wolf, Martin; Kumagai, Takashi

2018-01-10

Optical near-field excitation of metallic nanostructures can be used to enhance photochemical reactions. The enhancement under visible light illumination is of particular interest because it can facilitate the use of sunlight to promote photocatalytic chemical and energy conversion. However, few studies have yet addressed optical near-field induced chemistry, in particular at the single-molecule level. In this Letter, we report the near-field enhanced tautomerization of porphycene on a Cu(111) surface in a scanning tunneling microscope (STM) junction. The light-induced tautomerization is mediated by photogenerated carriers in the Cu substrate. It is revealed that the reaction cross section is significantly enhanced in the presence of a Au tip compared to the far-field induced process. The strong enhancement occurs in the red and near-infrared spectral range for Au tips, whereas a W tip shows a much weaker enhancement, suggesting that excitation of the localized plasmon resonance contributes to the process. Additionally, using the precise tip-surface distance control of the STM, the near-field enhanced tautomerization is examined in and out of the tunneling regime. Our results suggest that the enhancement is attributed to the increased carrier generation rate via decay of the excited near-field in the STM junction. Additionally, optically excited tunneling electrons also contribute to the process in the tunneling regime.

One-step solvothermal synthesis of carnation flower-like SnS2 as superior electrodes for supercapacitor applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mishra, Rajneesh Kumar; Baek, Geun Woo; Kim, Kyuwon; Kwon, Hyuck-In; Jin, Sung Hun

2017-12-01

We report the synthesis of carnation flower-like SnS2 (CF-SnS2) via a one-step solvothermal method for potential application as supercapacitor electrodes in energy storage devices. The structural and morphological properties of CF-SnS2 were characterized by X-ray diffraction, Raman analysis, and field-emission scanning and transmission electron microscopies. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and scanning tunneling electron microscopy with color mapping verified the distribution of Sn and S, and depicted the successful formation of SnS2. Electrochemical studies were performed to explore the supercapacitive nature of CF-SnS2. Supercapacitors with CF-SnS2 electrodes delivered excellent cyclic voltammetry performances, superior gravimetric specific capacitances, and high power densities. The evaluated specific capacitance and power density reached ∼524.5 F/g and 12.3 W/kg, respectively, at a current density of 0.08 A/g, and ∼215.9 F/g and 61.4 W/kg, respectively, at a current density of 0.38 A/g. These values are at least two times higher than those previously reported. The long-term cyclic stability was also tested to demonstrate the endurance of the CF-SnS2-based supercapacitor, with a 66% rate retention and galvanostatic charge/discharge reversibility. These electrochemical findings indicate that CF-SnS2 is a promising candidate for electrode materials in supercapacitor applications.

Continuous motion scan ptychography: characterization for increased speed in coherent x-ray imaging

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Deng, Junjing; Nashed, Youssef S. G.; Chen, Si

2015-01-01

Ptychography is a coherent diffraction imaging (CDI) method for extended objects in which diffraction patterns are acquired sequentially from overlapping coherent illumination spots. The object's complex transmission function can be reconstructed from those diffraction patterns at a spatial resolution limited only by the scattering strength of the object and the detector geometry. Most experiments to date have positioned the illumination spots on the sample using a move-settle-measure sequence in which the move and settle steps can take longer to complete than the measure step. We describe here the use of a continuous "fly-scan" mode for ptychographic data collection in whichmore » the sample is moved continuously, so that the experiment resembles one of integrating the diffraction patterns from multiple probe positions. This allows one to use multiple probe mode reconstruction methods to obtain an image of the object and also of the illumination function. We show in simulations, and in x-ray imaging experiments, some of the characteristics of fly-scan ptychography, including a factor of 25 reduction in the data acquisition time. This approach will become increasingly important as brighter x-ray sources are developed, such as diffraction limited storage rings.« less

Continuous motion scan ptychography: characterization for increased speed in coherent x-ray imaging.

PubMed

Deng, Junjing; Nashed, Youssef S G; Chen, Si; Phillips, Nicholas W; Peterka, Tom; Ross, Rob; Vogt, Stefan; Jacobsen, Chris; Vine, David J

2015-03-09

Ptychography is a coherent diffraction imaging (CDI) method for extended objects in which diffraction patterns are acquired sequentially from overlapping coherent illumination spots. The object's complex transmission function can be reconstructed from those diffraction patterns at a spatial resolution limited only by the scattering strength of the object and the detector geometry. Most experiments to date have positioned the illumination spots on the sample using a move-settle-measure sequence in which the move and settle steps can take longer to complete than the measure step. We describe here the use of a continuous "fly-scan" mode for ptychographic data collection in which the sample is moved continuously, so that the experiment resembles one of integrating the diffraction patterns from multiple probe positions. This allows one to use multiple probe mode reconstruction methods to obtain an image of the object and also of the illumination function. We show in simulations, and in x-ray imaging experiments, some of the characteristics of fly-scan ptychography, including a factor of 25 reduction in the data acquisition time. This approach will become increasingly important as brighter x-ray sources are developed, such as diffraction limited storage rings.

Recombinant Reflectin-Based Optical Materials

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-01-01

sili- con substrates were placed in a sealed plastic box. The RH was controlled using a Dydra electronic cigar humidifier and monitored using a Fisher...diffraction gratings to generate diffraction patterns. Nano-spheres and la- mellar microstructures of refCBA samples were observed by scanning electron ...samples were observed by scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. Despite the reduced complexity of the refCBA protein compared to natural

Direct Observation of Double Hydrogen Transfer via Quantum Tunneling in a Single Porphycene Molecule on a Ag(110) Surface.

PubMed

Koch, Matthias; Pagan, Mark; Persson, Mats; Gawinkowski, Sylwester; Waluk, Jacek; Kumagai, Takashi

2017-09-13

Quantum tunneling of hydrogen atoms (or protons) plays a crucial role in many chemical and biological reactions. Although tunneling of a single particle has been examined extensively in various one-dimensional potentials, many-particle tunneling in high-dimensional potential energy surfaces remains poorly understood. Here we present a direct observation of a double hydrogen atom transfer (tautomerization) within a single porphycene molecule on a Ag(110) surface using a cryogenic scanning tunneling microscope (STM). The tautomerization rates are temperature independent below ∼10 K, and a large kinetic isotope effect (KIE) is observed upon substituting the transferred hydrogen atoms by deuterium, indicating that the process is governed by tunneling. The observed KIE for three isotopologues and density functional theory calculations reveal that a stepwise transfer mechanism is dominant in the tautomerization. It is also found that the tautomerization rate is increased by vibrational excitation via an inelastic electron tunneling process. Moreover, the STM tip can be used to manipulate the tunneling dynamics through modification of the potential landscape.

Post-operative 3D CT feedback improves accuracy and precision in the learning curve of anatomic ACL femoral tunnel placement.

PubMed

Sirleo, Luigi; Innocenti, Massimo; Innocenti, Matteo; Civinini, Roberto; Carulli, Christian; Matassi, Fabrizio

2018-02-01

To evaluate the feedback from post-operative three-dimensional computed tomography (3D-CT) on femoral tunnel placement in the learning process, to obtain an anatomic anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. A series of 60 consecutive patients undergoing primary ACL reconstruction using autologous hamstrings single-bundle outside-in technique were prospectively included in the study. ACL reconstructions were performed by the same trainee-surgeon during his learning phase of anatomic ACL femoral tunnel placement. A CT scan with dedicated tunnel study was performed in all patients within 48 h after surgery. The data obtained from the CT scan were processed into a three-dimensional surface model, and a true medial view of the lateral femoral condyle was used for the femoral tunnel placement analysis. Two independent examiners analysed the tunnel placements. The centre of femoral tunnel was measured using a quadrant method as described by Bernard and Hertel. The coordinates measured were compared with anatomic coordinates values described in the literature [deep-to-shallow distance (X-axis) 28.5%; high-to-low distance (Y-axis) 35.2%]. Tunnel placement was evaluated in terms of accuracy and precision. After each ACL reconstruction, results were shown to the surgeon to receive an instant feedback in order to achieve accurate correction and improve tunnel placement for the next surgery. Complications and arthroscopic time were also recorded. Results were divided into three consecutive series (1, 2, 3) of 20 patients each. A trend to placing femoral tunnel slightly shallow in deep-to-shallow distance and slightly high in high-to-low distance was observed in the first and the second series. A progressive improvement in tunnel position was recorded from the first to second series and from the second to the third series. Both accuracy (+52.4%) and precision (+55.7%) increased from the first to the third series (p < 0.001). Arthroscopic time decreased from a mean of 105 min in the first series to 57 min in the third series (p < 0.001). After 50 ACL reconstructions, a satisfactory anatomic femoral tunnel was reached. Feedback from post-operative 3D-CT is effective in the learning process to improve accuracy and precision of femoral tunnel placement in order to obtain anatomic ACL reconstruction and helps to reduce also arthroscopic time and learning curve. For clinical relevance, trainee-surgeons should use feedback from post-operative 3DCT to learn anatomic ACL femoral tunnel placement and apply it appropriately. Consecutive case series, Level IV.

Electronically-Scanned Pressure Sensors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Coe, C. F.; Parra, G. T.; Kauffman, R. C.

1984-01-01

Sensors not pneumatically switched. Electronic pressure-transducer scanning system constructed in modular form. Pressure transducer modules and analog to digital converter module small enough to fit within cavities of average-sized wind-tunnel models. All switching done electronically. Temperature controlled environment maintained within sensor modules so accuracy maintained while ambient temperature varies.

Etching of Cr tips for scanning tunneling microscopy of cleavable oxides

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Huang, Dennis; Liu, Stephen; Zeljkovic, Ilija

Here, we report a detailed three-step roadmap for the fabrication and characterization of bulk Cr tips for spin-polarized scanning tunneling microscopy. Our strategy uniquely circumvents the need for ultra-high vacuum preparation of clean surfaces or films. First, we demonstrate the role of ex situ electrochemical etch parameters on Cr tip apex geometry, using scanning electron micrographs of over 70 etched tips. Second, we describe the suitability of the in situ cleaved surface of the layered antiferromagnet La 1.4Sr 1.6Mn 2O 7 to evaluate the spin characteristics of the Cr tip, replacing the ultra-high vacuum-prepared test samples that have been usedmore » in prior studies. Third, we outline a statistical algorithm that can effectively delineate closely spaced or irregular cleaved step edges, to maximize the accuracy of step height and spin-polarization measurements.« less

Four-probe measurements with a three-probe scanning tunneling microscope

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Salomons, Mark; Martins, Bruno V. C.; Zikovsky, Janik

2014-04-15

We present an ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) three-probe scanning tunneling microscope in which each probe is capable of atomic resolution. A UHV JEOL scanning electron microscope aids in the placement of the probes on the sample. The machine also has a field ion microscope to clean, atomically image, and shape the probe tips. The machine uses bare conductive samples and tips with a homebuilt set of pliers for heating and loading. Automated feedback controlled tip-surface contacts allow for electrical stability and reproducibility while also greatly reducing tip and surface damage due to contact formation. The ability to register inter-tip position bymore » imaging of a single surface feature by multiple tips is demonstrated. Four-probe material characterization is achieved by deploying two tips as fixed current probes and the third tip as a movable voltage probe.« less

Surface polymerization of (3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) probed by in situ scanning tunneling microscopy on Au(111) in ionic liquids.

PubMed

Ahmad, Shahzada; Carstens, Timo; Berger, Rüdiger; Butt, Hans-Jürgen; Endres, Frank

2011-01-01

The electropolymerization of 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene (EDOT) to poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) was investigated in the air and water-stable ionic liquids 1-hexyl-3-methylimidazolium tris(pentafluoroethyl) trifluorophosphate [HMIm]FAP and 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl) amide [EMIm]TFSA. In situ scanning tunnelling microscopy (STM) results show that the electropolymerization of EDOT in the ionic liquid can be probed on the nanoscale. In contrast to present understanding, it was observed that the EDOT can be oxidised in ionic liquids well below its oxidation potential and the under potential growth of polymer was visualized by in situ STM. These results serve as the first study to confirm the under potential growth of conducting polymers in ionic liquids. Furthermore, ex situ microscopy measurements were performed. Quite a high current of 670 nA was observed on the nanoscale by conductive scanning force microscopy (CSFM).

Etching of Cr tips for scanning tunneling microscopy of cleavable oxides

DOE PAGES

Huang, Dennis; Liu, Stephen; Zeljkovic, Ilija; ...

2017-02-21

Here, we report a detailed three-step roadmap for the fabrication and characterization of bulk Cr tips for spin-polarized scanning tunneling microscopy. Our strategy uniquely circumvents the need for ultra-high vacuum preparation of clean surfaces or films. First, we demonstrate the role of ex situ electrochemical etch parameters on Cr tip apex geometry, using scanning electron micrographs of over 70 etched tips. Second, we describe the suitability of the in situ cleaved surface of the layered antiferromagnet La 1.4Sr 1.6Mn 2O 7 to evaluate the spin characteristics of the Cr tip, replacing the ultra-high vacuum-prepared test samples that have been usedmore » in prior studies. Third, we outline a statistical algorithm that can effectively delineate closely spaced or irregular cleaved step edges, to maximize the accuracy of step height and spin-polarization measurements.« less

Molecular orbital imaging of cobalt phthalocyanine on native oxidized copper layers using STM.

PubMed

Guo, Qinmin; Huang, Min; Qin, Zhihui; Cao, Gengyu

2012-07-01

To observe molecular orbitals using scanning tunneling microscopy, well-ordered oxidized layers on Cu(001) were fabricated to screen the individual adsorbed cobalt phthalocyanine (CoPc) molecules from the electronic influence of the metal surface. Scanning tunneling microscope images of the molecule on this oxidized layer show similarities to the orbital distribution of the free molecule. The good match between the differential conductance mapping images and the calculated charge distribution at energy levels corresponding to the frontier orbitals of CoPc provides more evidence of the screening of the oxidized layer from interactions between the metal surface and supported molecules. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Charge ordering in stoichiometric FeTe: Scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy

DOE PAGES

Li, Wei; Yin, Wei -Guo; Wang, Lili; ...

2016-01-04

In this study, we use scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy to reveal a unique stripy charge order in a parent phase of iron-based superconductors in stoichiometric FeTe epitaxy films. The charge order has unusually the same—usually half—period as the spin order. We also found highly anisotropic electron band dispersions being large and little along the ferromagnetic (crystallographic b) and antiferromagnetic (a) directions, respectively. Our data suggest that the microscopic mechanism is likely of the Stoner type driven by interatomic Coulomb repulsion V ij, and that V ij and charge fluctuations, so far much neglected, are important to the understanding ofmore » iron-based superconductors.« less

Scanning tunneling spectroscopy of MoS2 monolayer in presence of ethanol gas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hosseini, Seyed Ali; Iraji zad, Azam; Berahman, Masoud; Aghakhani Mahyari, Farzaneh; Shokouh, Seyed Hossein Hosseini

2018-04-01

Due to high surface to volume ratio and tunable band gap, two dimensional (2D) layered materials such as MoS2, is good candidate for gas sensing applications. This research mainly focuses on variation of Density of States (DOS) of MoS2 monolayes caused by ethanol adsorption. The nanosheets are synthesized by liquid exfoliation, and then using Scanning Tunneling Spectroscopy (STS) and Density Functional Theory (DFT), local electronic characteristic such as DOS and band gap in non-vacuum condition are analyzed. The results show that ethanol adsorption enhances DOS and deform orbitals near the valence and conduction bands that increase transport of carriers on the sheet.

Electronic screening in stacked graphene flakes revealed by scanning tunneling microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feng, Xiaofeng; Salmeron, Miquel

2013-02-01

Electronic doping and screening effects in stacked graphene flakes on Ru and Cu substrates have been observed using scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). The screening affects the apparent STM height of each flake in successive layers reflecting the density of states near the Fermi level and thus the doping level. It is revealed in this way that the strong doping of the first graphene layer on Ru(0001) is attenuated in the second one, and almost eliminated in the third and fourth layers. Similar effect is also observed in graphene flakes on Cu(111). In contrast, the strong doping effect is suppressed immediately by a water layer intercalated between the graphene and Ru.

Scanning tunneling microscope observation of the phosphatidylserine domains in the phosphatidylcholine monolayer.

PubMed

Matsunaga, Soichiro; Yamada, Taro; Kobayashi, Toshihide; Kawai, Maki

2015-05-19

A mixed monolayer of 1,2-dihexanoyl-sn-glycero-3-phospho-l-serine (DHPS) and 1,2-dihexanoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DHPC) on an 1-octanethiol-modified gold substrate was visualized on the nanometer scale using in situ scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) in aqueous solution. DHPS clusters were evident as spotty domains. STM enabled us to distinguish DHPS molecules from DHPC molecules depending on their electronic structures. The signal of the DHPS domains was abolished by neutralization with Ca(2+). The addition of the PS + Ca(2+)-binding protein of annexin V to the Ca(2+)-treated monolayer gave a number of spots corresponding to a single annexin V molecule.

Imaging the electron-boson coupling in superconducting FeSe films using a scanning tunneling microscope.

PubMed

Song, Can-Li; Wang, Yi-Lin; Jiang, Ye-Ping; Li, Zhi; Wang, Lili; He, Ke; Chen, Xi; Hoffman, Jennifer E; Ma, Xu-Cun; Xue, Qi-Kun

2014-02-07

Scanning tunneling spectroscopy has been used to reveal signatures of a bosonic mode in the local quasiparticle density of states of superconducting FeSe films. The mode appears below Tc as a "dip-hump" feature at energy Ω∼4.7kBTc beyond the superconducting gap Δ. Spectra on strained regions of the FeSe films reveal simultaneous decreases in Δ and Ω. This contrasts with all previous reports on other high-Tc superconductors, where Δ locally anticorrelates with Ω. A local strong coupling model is found to reconcile the discrepancy well, and to provide a unified picture of the electron-boson coupling in unconventional superconductors.

Real-Space Analysis of Scanning Tunneling Microscopy Topography Datasets Using Sparse Modeling Approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miyama, Masamichi J.; Hukushima, Koji

2018-04-01

A sparse modeling approach is proposed for analyzing scanning tunneling microscopy topography data, which contain numerous peaks originating from the electron density of surface atoms and/or impurities. The method, based on the relevance vector machine with L1 regularization and k-means clustering, enables separation of the peaks and peak center positioning with accuracy beyond the resolution of the measurement grid. The validity and efficiency of the proposed method are demonstrated using synthetic data in comparison with the conventional least-squares method. An application of the proposed method to experimental data of a metallic oxide thin-film clearly indicates the existence of defects and corresponding local lattice distortions.

Surface induced selective deposition of Dysprosium Polyoxometalate on HOPG surface studied by STM and STS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Costa Milan, David; Pinilla Cienfuegos, Elena; Cardona Serra, Salvador; Coronado Miralles, Eugenio; Untiedt Lecuona, Carlos

2013-03-01

Scanning Tunneling Microscope (STM) and scanning Tunnelling spectroscopy (STS) techniques have been used to study the Preyssler type Polyoxometalate K12[DyP5W30O110] molecules deposited on Highly Oriented Pyrolytic Graphite surface (HOPG). Chainlike arrangements of clusters containing two or three molecules, as well as different cluster sizes are observed. As many structural artifacts are present on the graphite surface, like Moiré patterns, that could look like the molecular deposits, we have studied their STS and size to ensure the presence of the POM molecules on the surface. This article shows the possibility of addressing POMs on a flat surface to obtain their electronic properties through STS.

Chain polymerization of diacetylene compound multilayer films on the topmost surface initiated by a scanning tunneling microscope tip.

PubMed

Takajo, Daisuke; Okawa, Yuji; Hasegawa, Tsuyoshi; Aono, Masakazu

2007-05-08

Chain polymerizations of diacetylene compound multilayer films on graphite substrates were examined with a scanning tunneling microscope (STM) at the liquid/solid interface of the phenyloctane solution. The first layer grew very quickly into many small domains. This was followed by the slow formation of the piled up layers into much larger domains. Chain polymerization on the topmost surface layer could be initiated by applying a pulsed voltage between the STM tip and the substrate, usually producing a long polymer of submicrometer length. In contrast, polymerizations on the underlying layer were never observed. This can be explained by a conformation model in which the polymer backbone is lifted up.

Relative permittivity and Hubbard U of pentacene extracted from scanning tunneling microscopy studies of p-doped films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ha, Sieu D.; Qi, Yabing; Kahn, Antoine

2010-08-01

Temperature-dependent I- V measurements determine that pentacene is effectively p-doped by tetrafluoro-tetracyanoquinodimethane (F 4-TCNQ). It has been shown by scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) that the donated hole is localized by the ionized dopant counter potential, and that the hole can be visualized [4]. Here, it is argued that the effect of the localized hole on STM images should depend on distance as 1/ ɛr, as per the Coulomb potential. By fitting line profiles of localized hole features to the Coulomb potential, it is shown that approximate values for the relative permittivity and Hubbard U of pentacene can be extracted.

Scanning tunneling microscope with two-dimensional translator.

PubMed

Nichols, J; Ng, K-W

2011-01-01

Since the invention of the scanning tunneling microscope (STM), it has been a powerful tool for probing the electronic properties of materials. Typically STM designs capable of obtaining resolution on the atomic scale are limited to a small area which can be probed. We have built an STM capable of coarse motion in two dimensions, the z- and x-directions which are, respectively, parallel and perpendicular to the tip. This allows us to image samples with very high resolution at sites separated by macroscopic distances. This device is a single unit with a compact design making it very stable. It can operate in either a horizontal or vertical configuration and at cryogenic temperatures.

Nanometres-resolution Kikuchi patterns from materials science specimens with transmission electron forward scatter diffraction in the scanning electron microscope.

PubMed

Brodusch, N; Demers, H; Gauvin, R

2013-04-01

A charge-coupled device camera of an electron backscattered diffraction system in a scanning electron microscope was positioned below a thin specimen and transmission Kikuchi patterns were collected. Contrary to electron backscattered diffraction, transmission electron forward scatter diffraction provides phase identification and orientation mapping at the nanoscale. The minimum Pd particle size for which a Kikuchi diffraction pattern was detected and indexed reliably was 5.6 nm. An orientation mapping resolution of 5 nm was measured at 30 kV. The resolution obtained with transmission electron forward scatter diffraction was of the same order of magnitude than that reported in electron nanodiffraction in the transmission electron microscope. An energy dispersive spectrometer X-ray map and a transmission electron forward scatter diffraction orientation map were acquired simultaneously. The high-resolution chemical, phase and orientation maps provided at once information on the chemical form, orientation and coherency of precipitates in an aluminium-lithium 2099 alloy. © 2013 The Authors Journal of Microscopy © 2013 Royal Microscopical Society.

Sequencing of adenine in DNA by scanning tunneling microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tanaka, Hiroyuki; Taniguchi, Masateru

2017-08-01

The development of DNA sequencing technology utilizing the detection of a tunnel current is important for next-generation sequencer technologies based on single-molecule analysis technology. Using a scanning tunneling microscope, we previously reported that dI/dV measurements and dI/dV mapping revealed that the guanine base (purine base) of DNA adsorbed onto the Cu(111) surface has a characteristic peak at V s = -1.6 V. If, in addition to guanine, the other purine base of DNA, namely, adenine, can be distinguished, then by reading all the purine bases of each single strand of a DNA double helix, the entire base sequence of the original double helix can be determined due to the complementarity of the DNA base pair. Therefore, the ability to read adenine is important from the viewpoint of sequencing. Here, we report on the identification of adenine by STM topographic and spectroscopic measurements using a synthetic DNA oligomer and viral DNA.

Quantum nature of protons in water probed by scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, Jing; Lü, Jing-Tao; Feng, Yexin; Chen, Ji; Peng, Jinbo; Lin, Zeren; Meng, Xiangzhi; Wang, Zhichang; Li, Xin-Zheng; Wang, En-Ge; Jiang, Ying; Jing-Tao Lü Team; Xin-Zheng Li Team

The complexity of hydrogen-bonding interaction largely arises from the quantum nature of light hydrogen nuclei, which has remained elusive for decades. Here we report the direct assessment of nuclear quantum effects on the strength of a single hydrogen bond formed at a water-salt interface, using tip-enhanced inelastic electron tunneling spectroscopy (IETS) based on a low-temperature scanning tunneling microscope (STM). The IETS signals are resonantly enhanced by gating the frontier orbitals of water via a chlorine-terminated STM tip, such that the hydrogen-bonding strength can be determined with unprecedentedly high accuracy from the redshift in the O-H stretching frequency of water. Isotopic substitution experiments combined with quantum simulations reveal that the anharmonic quantum fluctuations of hydrogen nuclei weaken the weak hydrogen bonds and strengthen the relatively strong ones. However, this trend can be completely reversed when the hydrogen bond is strongly coupled to the polar atomic sites of the surface.

Detecting element specific electrons from a single cobalt nanocluster with synchrotron x-ray scanning tunneling microscopy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kersell, Heath; Shirato, Nozomi; Cummings, Marvin

We use a nanofabricated scanning tunneling microscope tip as a detector to investigate local X-ray induced tunneling and electron emission from a single cobalt nanocluster on a Au(111) surface. The tip-detector is positioned a few angstroms above the nanocluster, and ramping the incident X-ray energy across the Co photoabsorption K-edge enables the detection of element specific electrons. Atomic-scale spatial dependent changes in the X-ray absorption cross section are directly measured by taking the X-ray induced current as a function of X-ray energy. From the measured sample and tip currents, element specific X-ray induced current components can be separated and therebymore » the corresponding yields for the X-ray induced processes of the single cobalt nanocluster can be determined. The detection of element specific synchrotron X-ray induced electrons of a single nanocluster opens a new avenue for materials characterization on a one particle at-a-time basis.« less

Detecting element specific electrons from a single cobalt nanocluster with synchrotron x-ray scanning tunneling microscopy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kersell, Heath; Shirato, Nozomi; Cummings, Marvin

Here, we use a nanofabricated scanning tunneling microscope tip as a detector to investigate local X-ray induced tunneling and electron emission from a single cobalt nanocluster on a Au(111) surface. The tip-detector is positioned a few angstroms above the nanocluster, and ramping the incident X-ray energy across the Co photoabsorption K-edge enables the detection of element specific electrons. Atomic-scale spatial dependent changes in the X-ray absorption cross section are directly measured by taking the X-ray induced current as a function of X-ray energy. From the measured sample and tip currents, element specific X-ray induced current components can be separated andmore » thereby the corresponding yields for the X-ray induced processes of the single cobalt nanocluster can be determined. The detection of element specific synchrotron X-ray induced electrons of a single nanocluster opens a new avenue for materials characterization on a one particle at-a-time basis.« less

Detecting element specific electrons from a single cobalt nanocluster with synchrotron x-ray scanning tunneling microscopy

DOE PAGES

Kersell, Heath; Shirato, Nozomi; Cummings, Marvin; ...

2017-09-05

Here, we use a nanofabricated scanning tunneling microscope tip as a detector to investigate local X-ray induced tunneling and electron emission from a single cobalt nanocluster on a Au(111) surface. The tip-detector is positioned a few angstroms above the nanocluster, and ramping the incident X-ray energy across the Co photoabsorption K-edge enables the detection of element specific electrons. Atomic-scale spatial dependent changes in the X-ray absorption cross section are directly measured by taking the X-ray induced current as a function of X-ray energy. From the measured sample and tip currents, element specific X-ray induced current components can be separated andmore » thereby the corresponding yields for the X-ray induced processes of the single cobalt nanocluster can be determined. The detection of element specific synchrotron X-ray induced electrons of a single nanocluster opens a new avenue for materials characterization on a one particle at-a-time basis.« less

Modeling and simulation of blazed grating based on MEMS scanning micro-mirror for NIR micro-spectrometer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Ying; Wen, Zhiyu; Yang, Tingyan; Lei, Hongjie

2015-11-01

Near infrared micro-spectrometer (NIRMS) as a vital detection equipment for various elements has been investigated over the last few years. Traditional MEMS NIRMS employs CCD array detectors for NIR spectrum collection and this leads to higher fabrication cost. In this paper, to ensure the higher diffraction efficiency as well as lower fabrication cost, a novel blazed grating based on MEMS scanning micro-mirror (SMM) is proposed. By our design method, the NIRMS needs only one single InGaAs detector photo diode to collect NIR spectrum and ensure the high diffraction efficiency. Our results show that the diffraction efficiency of the blazed grating is almost 50% and the peak value reaches to 90% in the range of 900-2,100 nm while the optical scanning angle is 14.2°.

Time scales of tunneling decay of a localized state

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ban, Yue; Muga, J. G.; Sherman, E. Ya.

2010-12-15

Motivated by recent time-domain experiments on ultrafast atom ionization, we analyze the transients and time scales that characterize, aside from the relatively long lifetime, the decay of a localized state by tunneling. While the tunneling starts immediately, some time is required for the outgoing flux to develop. This short-term behavior depends strongly on the initial state. For the initial state, tightly localized so that the initial transients are dominated by over-the-barrier motion, the time scale for flux propagation through the barrier is close to the Buettiker-Landauer traversal time. Then a quasistationary, slow-decay process follows, which sets ideal conditions for observingmore » diffraction in time at longer times and distances. To define operationally a tunneling time at the barrier edge, we extrapolate backward the propagation of the wave packet that escaped from the potential. This extrapolated time is considerably longer than the time scale of the flux and density buildup at the barrier edge.« less

Ion Beam Assisted Deposition of Thin Epitaxial GaN Films.

PubMed

Rauschenbach, Bernd; Lotnyk, Andriy; Neumann, Lena; Poppitz, David; Gerlach, Jürgen W

2017-06-23

The assistance of thin film deposition with low-energy ion bombardment influences their final properties significantly. Especially, the application of so-called hyperthermal ions (energy <100 eV) is capable to modify the characteristics of the growing film without generating a large number of irradiation induced defects. The nitrogen ion beam assisted molecular beam epitaxy (ion energy <25 eV) is used to deposit GaN thin films on (0001)-oriented 6H-SiC substrates at 700 °C. The films are studied in situ by reflection high energy electron diffraction, ex situ by X-ray diffraction, scanning tunnelling microscopy, and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. It is demonstrated that the film growth mode can be controlled by varying the ion to atom ratio, where 2D films are characterized by a smooth topography, a high crystalline quality, low biaxial stress, and low defect density. Typical structural defects in the GaN thin films were identified as basal plane stacking faults, low-angle grain boundaries forming between w-GaN and z-GaN and twin boundaries. The misfit strain between the GaN thin films and substrates is relieved by the generation of edge dislocations in the first and second monolayers of GaN thin films and of misfit interfacial dislocations. It can be demonstrated that the low-energy nitrogen ion assisted molecular beam epitaxy is a technique to produce thin GaN films of high crystalline quality.

High-stability cryogenic scanning tunneling microscope based on a closed-cycle cryostat.

PubMed

Hackley, Jason D; Kislitsyn, Dmitry A; Beaman, Daniel K; Ulrich, Stefan; Nazin, George V

2014-10-01

We report on the design and operation of a cryogenic ultra-high vacuum (UHV) scanning tunneling microscope (STM) coupled to a closed-cycle cryostat (CCC). The STM is thermally linked to the CCC through helium exchange gas confined inside a volume enclosed by highly flexible rubber bellows. The STM is thus mechanically decoupled from the CCC, which results in a significant reduction of the mechanical noise transferred from the CCC to the STM. Noise analysis of the tunneling current shows current fluctuations up to 4% of the total current, which translates into tip-sample distance variations of up to 1.5 picometers. This noise level is sufficiently low for atomic-resolution imaging of a wide variety of surfaces. To demonstrate this, atomic-resolution images of Au(111) and NaCl(100)/Au(111) surfaces, as well as of carbon nanotubes deposited on Au(111), were obtained. Thermal drift analysis showed that under optimized conditions, the lateral stability of the STM scanner can be as low as 0.18 Å/h. Scanning Tunneling Spectroscopy measurements based on the lock-in technique were also carried out, and showed no detectable presence of noise from the closed-cycle cryostat. Using this cooling approach, temperatures as low as 16 K at the STM scanner have been achieved, with the complete cool-down of the system typically taking up to 12 h. These results demonstrate that the constructed CCC-coupled STM is a highly stable instrument capable of highly detailed spectroscopic investigations of materials and surfaces at the atomic scale.

Interaction of phosphine with Si(100) from core-level photoemission and real-time scanning tunneling microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Deng-Sung; Ku, Tsai-Shuan; Chen, Ru-Ping

2000-01-01

In this paper, we investigate the interaction of phosphine (PH3) on the Si(100)-2×1 surface at temperatures between 635 and 900 K. The hydrogen desorption, growth mode, surface morphology, and chemical composition and ordering of the surface layer are examined by synchrotron radiation core-level photoemission and real-time high-temperature scanning tunneling microscopy. The P 2p core-level spectra indicate that decomposition of PHn is complete above ~550 K and the maximum P coverage is strongly influenced by the growth temperature, which governs the coverage of H-terminated sites. The scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) images taken at real time during PH3 exposure indicate that a surface phosphorus atom readily and randomly displaces one Si atom from the substrate. The ejected Si diffuses, nucleates, and incorporates itself into islands or step edges, leading to similar growth behavior as that found in Si chemical vapor deposition. Line defects both perpendicular and parallel to the dimer rows are observed on the nearly P-saturated surface. Perpendicular line defects act as a strain relief mechanism. Parallel line defects result from growth kinetics. STM images also indicate that incorporating a small amount of phosphorus eliminates the line defects in the Si(100)-2×n surface.

Enhanced resolution imaging of ultrathin ZnO layers on Ag(111) by multiple hydrogen molecules in a scanning tunneling microscope junction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Shuyi; Shiotari, Akitoshi; Baugh, Delroy; Wolf, Martin; Kumagai, Takashi

2018-05-01

Molecular hydrogen in a scanning tunneling microscope (STM) junction has been found to enhance the lateral spatial resolution of the STM imaging, referred to as scanning tunneling hydrogen microscopy (STHM). Here we report atomic resolution imaging of 2- and 3-monolayer (ML) thick ZnO layers epitaxially grown on Ag(111) using STHM. The enhanced resolution can be obtained at a relatively large tip to surface distance and resolves a more defective structure exhibiting dislocation defects for 3-ML-thick ZnO than for 2 ML. In order to elucidate the enhanced imaging mechanism, the electric and mechanical properties of the hydrogen molecular junction (HMJ) are investigated by a combination of STM and atomic force microscopy. It is found that the HMJ shows multiple kinklike features in the tip to surface distance dependence of the conductance and frequency shift curves, which are absent in a hydrogen-free junction. Based on a simple modeling, we propose that the junction contains several hydrogen molecules and sequential squeezing of the molecules out of the junction results in the kinklike features in the conductance and frequency shift curves. The model also qualitatively reproduces the enhanced resolution image of the ZnO films.

Interfacial scanning tunneling spectroscopy (STS) of chalcogenide/metal hybrid nanostructure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saad, Mahmoud M.; Abdallah, Tamer; Easawi, Khalid; Negm, Sohair; Talaat, Hassan

2015-05-01

The electronic structure at the interface of chalcogenide/metal hybrid nanostructure (CdSe-Au tipped) had been studied by UHV scanning tunneling spectroscopy (STS) technique at room temperature. This nanostructure was synthesized by a phase transfer chemical method. The optical absorption of this hybrid nanostructure was recorded, and the application of the effective mass approximation (EMA) model gave dimensions that were confirmed by the direct measurements using the scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) as well as the high-resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM). The energy band gap obtained by STS agrees with the values obtained from the optical absorption. Moreover, the STS at the interface of CdSe-Au tipped hybrid nanostructure between CdSe of size about 4.1 ± 0.19 nm and Au tip of size about 3.5 ± 0.29 nm shows a band bending about 0.18 ± 0.03 eV in CdSe down in the direction of the interface. Such a result gives a direct observation of the electron accumulation at the interface of CdSe-Au tipped hybrid nanostructure, consistent with its energy band diagram. The presence of the electron accumulation at the interface of chalcogenides with metals has an important implication for hybrid nanoelectronic devices and the newly developed plasmon/chalcogenide photovoltaic solar energy conversion.

LEED-IV study of the rutile TiO{sub 2}(110)-1x2 surface with a Ti-interstitial added-row reconstruction

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Blanco-Rey, M.; Mendez, J.; Lopez, M. F.

2007-02-15

Upon sputtering and annealing in UHV at {approx}1000 K, the rutile TiO{sub 2}(110) surface undergoes a 1x1{yields}1x2 phase transition. The resulting 1x2 surface is Ti rich, formed by strands of double Ti rows as seen on scanning tunneling microscopic images, but its detailed structure and composition have been subject to debate in the literature for years. Recently, Park et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 96, 226105 (2006)] have proposed a model where Ti atoms are located on interstitial sites with Ti{sub 2}O stoichiometry. This model, when it is analyzed using LEED-IV data [Phys. Rev. Lett. 96, 0055502 (2006)], does not yieldmore » an agreement between theory and experiment as good as the previous best fit for Onishi and Iwasawa's model for the long-range 1x2 reconstruction. Therefore, the Ti{sub 2}O{sub 3} added row is the preferred one from the point of view low-energy electron diffraction.« less

Atomic-Scale Fingerprint of Mn Dopant at the Surface of Sr3(Ru1−xMnx)2O7

PubMed Central

Li, Guorong; Li, Qing; Pan, Minghu; Hu, Biao; Chen, Chen; Teng, Jing; Diao, Zhenyu; Zhang, Jiandi; Jin, Rongying; Plummer, E. W.

2013-01-01

Chemical doping in materials is known to give rise to emergent phenomena. These phenomena are extremely difficult to predict a priori, because electron-electron interactions are entangled with local environment of assembled atoms. Scanning tunneling microscopy and low energy electron diffraction are combined to investigate how the local electronic structure is correlated with lattice distortion on the surface of Sr3(Ru1−xMnx)2O7, which has double-layer building blocks formed by (Ru/Mn)O6 octahedra with rotational distortion. The presence of doping-dependent tilt distortion of (Ru/Mn)O6 octahedra at the surface results in a C2v broken symmetry in contrast with the bulk C4v counterpart. It also enables us to observe two Mn sites associated with the octahedral rotation in the bulk through the “chirality” of local electronic density of states surrounding Mn, which is randomly distributed. These results serve as fingerprint of chemical doping on the atomic scale. PMID:24108411

Electrochemical preparation of poly(methylene blue)/graphene nanocomposite thin films

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Erçarıkcı, Elif; Dağcı, Kader; Topçu, Ezgi

2014-07-01

Highlights: • Poly(MB)/graphene thin films are prepared by a simple electrochemical approach. • Graphene layers in the film show a broad band in visible region of absorbance spectra. • Morphology of composite films indicates both disordered and ordered regions. • XRD reveals that nanocomposite films include rGO layers after electropolymerization process. • Chemically prepared graphene is better than electrochemically prepared graphene for electrooxidation of nitrite. - Abstract: Poly(methylene blue)/graphene nanocomposite thin films were prepared by electropolymerization of methylene blue in the presence of graphene which have been synthesized by two different methods of a chemical oxidation process and an electrochemicalmore » approach. Synthesized nanocomposite thin films were characterized by using cyclic voltammetry, UV–vis. absorption spectroscopy, powder X-ray diffraction, and scanning tunneling microscopy techniques. Electrocatalytical properties of prepared poly(methylene blue)/graphene nanocomposite films were compared toward electrochemical oxidation of nitrite. Under optimized conditions, electrocatalytical effect of nanocomposite films of chemically prepared graphene through electrochemical oxidation of nitrite was better than that of electrochemically prepared graphene.« less

Morphology, structure, and metal binding mechanisms of biogenic manganese oxides in a superfund site treatment system.

PubMed

Duckworth, O W; Rivera, N A; Gardner, T G; Andrews, M Y; Santelli, C M; Polizzotto, M L

2017-01-25

Manganese oxides, which may be biogenically produced in both pristine and contaminated environments, have a large affinity for many trace metals. In this study, water and Mn oxide-bearing biofilm samples were collected from the components of a pump and treat remediation system at a superfund site. To better understand the factors leading to their formation and their effects on potentially toxic metal fate, we conducted a chemical, microscopic, and spectroscopic characterization of these biofilm samples. Scanning electron microscopy revealed the presence of Mn oxides in close association with biological structures with morphologies consistent with fungi. X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) revealed the oxides to be a mixture of layer and tunnel structure Mn(iv) oxides. In addition, XAS suggested that Ba, Co, and Zn all primarily bind to oxides in the biofilm in a manner that is analogous to synthetic or laboratory grown bacteriogenic Mn oxides. The results indicate that Mn oxides produced by organisms in the system may effectively scavenge metals, thus highlighting the potential utility of these organisms in designed remediation systems.

Surface structural reconstruction of SrVO3 thin films on SrTiO3 (001)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Gaomin; Saghayezhian, Mohammad; Chen, Lina; Guo, Hangwen; Zhang, Jiandi

Paramagnetic metallic oxide SrVO3>(SVO) is an itinerant system known to undergo thickness-induced metal-insulator-transition (MIT) in ultrathin film form, which makes it a prototype system for the study of the mechanism behind metal-insulator-transition like structure distortion, electron correlations and disorder-induced localization. We have grown SrVO3 thin film with atomically flat surface through the layer-by-layer deposition by laser Molecular Beam Epitaxy (laser-MBE) on SrTiO3 (001) surface. Low Energy Electron Diffraction (LEED) measurements reveal that there is a (√2X √2) R45°surface reconstruction independent of film thickness. By using LEED-I(V) structure refinement, we determine the surface structure. In combination with X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) and Scanning Tunneling Microscopy (STM), we discuss the implication on the MIT in ultrathin films below 2-3 unit cell thickness. This work is supported by the National Science Foundation under the NSF EPSCoR Cooperative Agreement No. EPS-1003897 with additional support from the Louisiana Board of Regents.

Water dissociation on Mn(1×1)/Ag(100)

DOE PAGES

Arble, Chris; Tong, Xiao; Giordano, Livia; ...

2016-08-19

In this work we utilize experimental and simulation techniques to examine the molecular level interaction of water with a MnO(1×1) thin film deposited onto Ag(100). The formation of MnO(1×1)/Ag(100) was characterized by low energy electron diffraction and scanning tunneling microscopy. Density functional theory (DFT) shows MnO(1×1) is thermodynamically more stable than MnO(2×1) by –0.4 eV per MnO. Upon exposure to 2.5 Torr water vapor at room temperature, X-ray photoemission spectroscopy results show extensive surface hydroxylation attributed to reactivity at MnO(1×1) terrace sites. DFT calculations of a water monomer on MnO(1×1)/Ag(100) show the dissociated form is energetically more favorable than molecularmore » adsorption, with a hydroxylation activation barrier 0.4 eV per H 2O. Lastly, these results are discussed and contrasted with previous studies of MgO/Ag(100) which show a stark difference in behavior for water dissociation.« less

Temperature-triggered chemical switching growth of in-plane and vertically stacked graphene-boron nitride heterostructures

PubMed Central

Gao, Teng; Song, Xiuju; Du, Huiwen; Nie, Yufeng; Chen, Yubin; Ji, Qingqing; Sun, Jingyu; Yang, Yanlian; Zhang, Yanfeng; Liu, Zhongfan

2015-01-01

In-plane and vertically stacked heterostructures of graphene and hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN-G and G/h-BN, respectively) are both recent focuses of graphene research. However, targeted synthesis of either heterostructure remains a challenge. Here, via chemical vapour deposition and using benzoic acid precursor, we have achieved the selective growth of h-BN-G and G/h-BN through a temperature-triggered switching reaction. The perfect in-plane h-BN-G is characterized by scanning tunnelling microscopy (STM), showing atomically patched graphene and h-BN with typical zigzag edges. In contrast, the vertical alignment of G/h-BN is confirmed by unique lattice-mismatch-induced moiré patterns in high-resolution STM images, and two sets of aligned selected area electron diffraction spots, both suggesting a van der Waals epitaxial mechanism. The present work demonstrates the chemical designability of growth process for controlled synthesis of graphene and h-BN heterostructures. With practical scalability, high uniformity and quality, our approach will promote the development of graphene-based electronics and optoelectronics. PMID:25869236

Atomic structure of a metal-supported two-dimensional germania film

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lewandowski, Adrián Leandro; Schlexer, Philomena; Büchner, Christin; Davis, Earl M.; Burrall, Hannah; Burson, Kristen M.; Schneider, Wolf-Dieter; Heyde, Markus; Pacchioni, Gianfranco; Freund, Hans-Joachim

2018-03-01

The growth and microscopic characterization of two-dimensional germania films is presented. Germanium oxide monolayer films were grown on Ru(0001) by physical vapor deposition and subsequent annealing in oxygen. We obtain a comprehensive image of the germania film structure by combining intensity-voltage low-energy electron diffraction (I/V-LEED) and ab initio density functional theory (DFT) analysis with atomic-resolution scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) imaging. For benchmarking purposes, the bare Ru(0001) substrate and the (2 ×2 )3 O covered Ru(0001) were analyzed with I/V-LEED with respect to previous reports. STM topographic images of the germania film reveal a hexagonal network where the oxygen and germanium atom positions appear in different imaging contrasts. For quantitative LEED, the best agreement has been achieved with DFT structures where the germanium atoms are located preferentially on the top and fcc hollow sites of the Ru(0001) substrate. Moreover, in these atomically flat germania films, local site geometries, i.e., tetrahedral building blocks, ring structures, and domain boundaries, have been identified, indicating possible pathways towards two-dimensional amorphous networks.

Graphite to Graphene via Graphene Oxide: An Overview on Synthesis, Properties, and Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hansora, D. P.; Shimpi, N. G.; Mishra, S.

2015-12-01

This work represents a state-of-the-art technique developed for the preparation of graphene from graphite-metal electrodes by the arc-discharge method carried out in a continuous flow of water. Because of continuous arcing of graphite-metal electrodes, the graphene sheets were observed in water with uniformity and little damage. These nanosheets were subjected to various purification steps such as acid treatment, oxidation, water washing, centrifugation, and drying. The pure graphene sheets were analyzed using Raman spectrophotometry, x-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission-scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), and tunneling electron microscopy (TEM). Peaks of Raman spectra were recorded at (1300-1400 cm-1) and (1500-1600 cm-1) for weak D-band and strong G-band, respectively. The XRD pattern showed 85.6% crystallinity of pure graphite, whereas pure graphene was 66.4% crystalline. TEM and FE-SEM micrographs revealed that graphene sheets were overlapped to each other and layer-by-layer formation was also observed. Beside this research work, we also reviewed recent developments of graphene and related nanomaterials along with their preparations, properties, functionalizations, and potential applications.

Reorientation of the diagonal double-stripe spin structure at Fe 1+yTe bulk and thin-film surfaces

DOE PAGES

Hanke, Torben; Singh, Udai Raj; Cornils, Lasse; ...

2017-01-06

Here, establishing the relation between ubiquitous antiferromagnetism in the parent compounds of unconventional superconductors and their superconducting phase is important for understanding the complex physics in these materials. Going from bulk systems to thin films additionally affects their phase diagram. For Fe 1+yTe, the parent compound of Fe 1+ySe 1$-x$Tex superconductors, bulk-sensitive neutron diffraction revealed an in-plane oriented diagonal double-stripe antiferromagnetic spin structure. Here we show by spin-resolved scanning tunnelling microscopy that the spin direction at the surfaces of bulk Fe 1+yTe and thin films grown on the topological insulator Bi 2Te 3 is canted out of the high-symmetry directionsmore » of the surface unit cell resulting in a perpendicular spin component, keeping the diagonal double-stripe order. As the magnetism of the Fe d-orbitals is intertwined with the superconducting pairing in Fe-based materials, our results imply that the superconducting properties at the surface of the related superconducting compounds might be different from the bulk.« less

Transition from reconstruction toward thin film on the (110) surface of strontium titanate

DOE PAGES

Wang, Z.; Loon, A.; Subramanian, A.; ...

2016-03-08

The surfaces of metal oxides often are reconstructed with a geometry and composition that is considerably different from a simple termination of the bulk. Such structures can also be viewed as ultrathin films, epitaxed on a substrate. Here, the reconstructions of the SrTiO 3 (110) surface are studied combining scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), transmission electron diffraction, and X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS), and analyzed with density functional theory calculations. Whereas SrTiO 3 (110) invariably terminates with an overlayer of titania, with increasing density its structure switches from n × 1 to 2 × n. At the same time the coordination ofmore » the Ti atoms changes from a network of corner-sharing tetrahedra to a double layer of edge-shared octahedra with bridging units of octahedrally coordinated strontium. Furthermore, this transition from the n × 1 to 2 × n reconstructions is a transition from a pseudomorphically stabilized tetrahedral network toward an octahedral titania thin film with stress-relief from octahedral strontia units at the surface.« less

Reorientation of the diagonal double-stripe spin structure at Fe 1+yTe bulk and thin-film surfaces

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hanke, Torben; Singh, Udai Raj; Cornils, Lasse

Here, establishing the relation between ubiquitous antiferromagnetism in the parent compounds of unconventional superconductors and their superconducting phase is important for understanding the complex physics in these materials. Going from bulk systems to thin films additionally affects their phase diagram. For Fe 1+yTe, the parent compound of Fe 1+ySe 1$-x$Tex superconductors, bulk-sensitive neutron diffraction revealed an in-plane oriented diagonal double-stripe antiferromagnetic spin structure. Here we show by spin-resolved scanning tunnelling microscopy that the spin direction at the surfaces of bulk Fe 1+yTe and thin films grown on the topological insulator Bi 2Te 3 is canted out of the high-symmetry directionsmore » of the surface unit cell resulting in a perpendicular spin component, keeping the diagonal double-stripe order. As the magnetism of the Fe d-orbitals is intertwined with the superconducting pairing in Fe-based materials, our results imply that the superconducting properties at the surface of the related superconducting compounds might be different from the bulk.« less

Negative differential resistance in electron tunneling in ultrathin films near the two-dimensional limit

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Batabyal, R.; Abdul Wasey, A. H. M.; Mahato, J. C.

We report on our observation of negative differential resistance (NDR) in electron tunneling conductance in atomic-scale ultrathin Ag films on Si(111) substrates. NDR was observed by scanning tunneling spectroscopy measurements. The tunneling conductance depends on the electronic local density of states (LDOS) of the sample. We show that the sample bias voltage, at which negative differential resistance and peak negative conductance occur, depends on the film thickness. This can be understood from the variation in the LDOS of the Ag films as a function of film thickness down to the two-dimensional limit of one atomic layer. First principles density functionalmore » theory calculations have been used to explain the results.« less

Interplay between Switching Driven by the Tunneling Current and Atomic Force of a Bistable Four-Atom Si Quantum Dot.

PubMed

Yamazaki, Shiro; Maeda, Keisuke; Sugimoto, Yoshiaki; Abe, Masayuki; Zobač, Vladimír; Pou, Pablo; Rodrigo, Lucia; Mutombo, Pingo; Pérez, Ruben; Jelínek, Pavel; Morita, Seizo

2015-07-08

We assemble bistable silicon quantum dots consisting of four buckled atoms (Si4-QD) using atom manipulation. We demonstrate two competing atom switching mechanisms, downward switching induced by tunneling current of scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and opposite upward switching induced by atomic force of atomic force microscopy (AFM). Simultaneous application of competing current and force allows us to tune switching direction continuously. Assembly of the few-atom Si-QDs and controlling their states using versatile combined AFM/STM will contribute to further miniaturization of nanodevices.

Tunneling STM/STS and break-junction spectroscopy of the layered nitro-chloride superconductors MNCl (M = Ti, Hf, Zr)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ekino, Toshikazu; Sugimoto, Akira; Gabovich, Alexander M.; Zheng, Zhanfeng; Zhang, Shuai; Yamanaka, Shoji

2014-05-01

The layered superconductors β-MNCl with the critical temperatures Tc = 14 K (M = Zr) - 25 K (M = Hf) were investigated by means of scanning-tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy and break-junction tunneling spectroscopy. The STM/STS was used to investigate the surface electronic structures in nanometer length scale, while the BJTS was employed to precisely determine the gap characteristics. Both techniques consistently clarified the unusually large size of the superconducting gap. Wide gap distributions with large-scale maximum gap values were also revealed in α-KyTiNCl with a different crystal structure.

Generation of constant-amplitude radio-frequency sweeps at a tunnel junction for spin resonance STM

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Paul, William; Lutz, Christopher P.; Heinrich, Andreas J.

2016-07-15

We describe the measurement and successful compensation of the radio-frequency transfer function of a scanning tunneling microscope over a wide frequency range (15.5–35.5 GHz) and with high dynamic range (>50 dB). The precise compensation of cabling resonances and attenuations is critical for the production of constant-voltage frequency sweeps for electric-field driven electron spin resonance (ESR) experiments. We also demonstrate that a well-calibrated tunnel junction voltage is necessary to avoid spurious ESR peaks that can arise due to a non-flat transfer function.

Surface Characterization.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fulghum, J. E.; And Others

1989-01-01

This review is divided into the following analytical methods: ion spectroscopy, electron spectroscopy, scanning tunneling microscopy, atomic force microscopy, optical spectroscopy, desorption techniques, and X-ray techniques. (MVL)

Three Dimensional Variable-Wavelength X-Ray Bragg Coherent Diffraction Imaging

DOE PAGES

Cha, W.; Ulvestad, A.; Allain, M.; ...

2016-11-23

Here, we present and demonstrate a formalism by which three-dimensional (3D) Bragg x-ray coherent diffraction imaging (BCDI) can be implemented without moving the sample by scanning the energy of the incident x-ray beam. This capability is made possible by introducing a 3D Fourier transform that accounts for x-ray wavelength variability. We also demonstrate the approach by inverting coherent Bragg diffraction patterns from a gold nanocrystal measured with an x-ray energy scan. Furthermore, variable-wavelength BCDI will expand the breadth of feasible in situ 3D strain imaging experiments towards more diverse materials environments, especially where sample manipulation is difficult.

Two-dimensional mapping of polarizations of rhombohedral nanostructures in the orthorhombic phase of KNbO3 by the combined use of scanning transmission electron microscopy and convergent-beam electron diffraction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsuda, Kenji; Tanaka, Michiyoshi

2015-08-01

Rhombohedral nanostructures previously found in the orthorhombic phase of KNbO3, by convergent-beam electron diffraction [Tsuda et al., Appl. Phys. Lett. 102, 051913 (2013)], have been investigated by the combined use of scanning transmission electron microscopy and convergent-beam electron diffraction. Two-dimensional distributions of the rhombohedral nanostructures, or nanometer-scale spatial fluctuations of polarization clusters, have been successfully visualized. The correlation length of the observed spatial fluctuations of local polarizations is related to the cpc/apc ratio and the transition entropy.

Three Dimensional Variable-Wavelength X-Ray Bragg Coherent Diffraction Imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cha, W.; Ulvestad, A.; Allain, M.; Chamard, V.; Harder, R.; Leake, S. J.; Maser, J.; Fuoss, P. H.; Hruszkewycz, S. O.

2016-11-01

We present and demonstrate a formalism by which three-dimensional (3D) Bragg x-ray coherent diffraction imaging (BCDI) can be implemented without moving the sample by scanning the energy of the incident x-ray beam. This capability is made possible by introducing a 3D Fourier transform that accounts for x-ray wavelength variability. We demonstrate the approach by inverting coherent Bragg diffraction patterns from a gold nanocrystal measured with an x-ray energy scan. Variable-wavelength BCDI will expand the breadth of feasible in situ 3D strain imaging experiments towards more diverse materials environments, especially where sample manipulation is difficult.

Three Dimensional Variable-Wavelength X-Ray Bragg Coherent Diffraction Imaging.

PubMed

Cha, W; Ulvestad, A; Allain, M; Chamard, V; Harder, R; Leake, S J; Maser, J; Fuoss, P H; Hruszkewycz, S O

2016-11-25

We present and demonstrate a formalism by which three-dimensional (3D) Bragg x-ray coherent diffraction imaging (BCDI) can be implemented without moving the sample by scanning the energy of the incident x-ray beam. This capability is made possible by introducing a 3D Fourier transform that accounts for x-ray wavelength variability. We demonstrate the approach by inverting coherent Bragg diffraction patterns from a gold nanocrystal measured with an x-ray energy scan. Variable-wavelength BCDI will expand the breadth of feasible in situ 3D strain imaging experiments towards more diverse materials environments, especially where sample manipulation is difficult.

The Sounds of Nanoscience: Acoustic STM Analogues

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Euler, Manfred

2013-01-01

A hands-on model of scanning tunnelling microscopy (STM) is presented. It uses near-field imaging with sound and computer assisted visualization to create acoustic mappings of resonator arrangements. Due to the (partial) analogy of matter and sound waves the images closely resemble STM scans of atoms. Moreover, the method can be extended to build…