自旋极化扫描隧道显微术

自旋极化扫描隧道显微术是一种新兴的表面自旋分辨技术，文章主要介绍了自旋极化的扫描隧道显微镜和扫描隧道谱实现表面自旋分辨的原理以及在各种磁性表面研究中的应用，采用自旋极化技术的扫描隧道显微镜可以测量表面磁结构，其空间分辨可以达到原子尺度，分辨率超过其他磁显微技术，而自旋极化扫描隧道谱不但可以分辨空间精细磁畴结构，而且能研究表面态的交换劈裂，文章作者还进一步提出了利用自旋极化扫描隧道显微镜实现自旋注入的设想。     

Atomic structure of the Cu(410)-O surface: STM visualization of oxygen and copper atoms

The structure of the Cu(410)-O surface is studied by a scanning tunneling microscope (STM) with atomic resolution. Tunneling is accomplished for various states of the tungsten STM probe, which allows oxygen and copper atoms to be visualized separately.     

Visualization of electron orbitals in scanning tunneling microscopy

Scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) is one of the main techniques for direct visualization of the surface electronic structure and chemical analysis of multi-component surfaces at the atomic scale. This review is focused on the role of the tip orbital structure and tip-surface interaction in STM imaging with picometer spatial resolution. Fabrication of STM probes with well-defined structure and selective visualization of individual electron orbitals in the STM experiments with controlled tunneling gap and probe structure are demonstrated.     

Contrast reversal and shape changes of atomic adsorbates measured with scanning tunneling microscopy

Systematic, quantitative comparisons between scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) experiments and first principles simulations of O(2 x 2)/Ru(0001) have been performed. The shape of the atomic adsorbates in the images depends strongly on the tunneling resistance and changes reversibly from circular (high resistance) to triangular (low resistance). In addition, after adsorption of oxygen on the STM tip we observe a contrast reversal on the surface, confirmed by extensive numerical simulations.     

One-dimensional diffusion of vacancies on Sr/Si(100)-c(2×4) surface

An Sr/Si(100)-c(2×4) surface is investigated by high-resolution scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and scanning tunneling spectroscopy (STS). The semiconductor property of this surface is confirmed by STS. The STM images of this surface shows that it is bias-voltage dependent and an atomic resolution image can be obtained at an empty state under a bias voltage of 1.5 V. Furthermore, one-dimensional (1D) diffusion of vacancies can be found in the room-temperature STM images. Sr vacancies diffuse along the valley channels, which are constructed by silicon dimers in the surface. Weak interaction between Sr and silicon dimers, low metal coverage, surface vacancy, and energy of thermal fluctuation at room temperature all contribute to this 1D diffusion.     

Combined cross-sectional STM/AFM in liquid: Study of InGaAs/GaAs heterostructures with quantum wells and dots

Combined scanning tunneling and atomic force microscopy (STM/AFM) of cross-sectional cleavages in a protective liquid medium (oil) is applied to study InGaAs/GaAs heterostructures with quantum wells and dots. It is shown that the quantum wells and dots can be visualized on cleavages in both AFM and STM modes and to measure the current-voltage characteristics of the contact between an AFM probe and the cleavage surface.     

Impact of interface relaxation on the nanoscale corrugation in Pb/Si(1 1 1) islands

The nanoscale hexagonal pattern observed in scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) for 3-layer and 4-layer Pb islands on Si(1 1 1) is studied theoretically. We found that besides thickness the atomic rearrangement at the Pb/Si interface plays an important role in determining the STM patterns. Electronic structures of the Pb film on Si(1 1 1) obtained from fully relaxed and unrelaxed Pb films are qualitatively different. Simulated STM images for Pb films with different stacking also show that the corrugation patterns are sensitive to the buried Pb-Si interfacial structure.     

Local spectroscopy and atomic imaging of tunneling current, forces, and dissipation on graphite

Theory predicts that the currents in scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and the attractive forces measured in atomic force microscopy (AFM) are directly related. Atomic images obtained in an attractive AFM mode should therefore be redundant because they should be similar to STM. Here, we show that while the distance dependence of current and force is similar for graphite, constant-height AFM and STM images differ substantially depending on the distance and bias voltage. We perform spectroscopy of the tunneling current, the frequency shift, and the damping signal at high-symmetry lattice sites of the graphite (0001) surface. The dissipation signal is about twice as sensitive to distance as the frequency shift, explained by the Prandtl-Tomlinson model of atomic friction.     

Alkali metal-induced Si(1 1 1) structure: The Na case

We report the first scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and core-level photoemission (CL-PES) studies of a structure induced by sub-monolayer Na deposition on the Si(1 1 1) surface. In the filled-state STM images, five bright protrusions in the unit cell are located on the Ag trimers of the structure. The Si 2p core-level photoemission decomposition shows that the surface-shifted component originated from the Si-trimer atoms in the surface splits into two for the structure, which are attributed to the Si-trimer atoms in the unit cell which are affected and unaffected by the Na adsorption. These results show strong similarities between the Na-induced superstructure and the noble metal-induced ones, indicating a common atomic structure and formation mechanism.     

The structure and properties of the Si nanostructures on an HOPG surface

The morphology, electronic structure, and optical properties of self-assembled silicon nanostructures grown on the surface of Highly Oriented Pyrolytic Graphite (HOPG) by molecular beam epitaxy were studied by ultra high vacuum (UHV) scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and X-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS) in situ, and by Raman spectroscopy ex situ. At coverages of less than 1 monolayer (ML), the formation of monolayered silicon nanoislands with an atomic structure similar to that of graphene was observed.     

Magnification Effects in Scanning Tunneling Microscopy: the Role of Surface Radicals

Journal of Experimental and Theoretical Physics - Scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) is a fundamental tool for determination of the surface atomic structure. However, the interpretation of high...     

Scanning tunneling microscopy at multiple voltage biases of stable “ring-like” Ag clusters on Si(111)–(7 × 7)

Since more than twenty years it is known that deposition of Ag onto Si(111)–(7 × 7) leads under certain conditions to the formation of so-called “ring-like” clusters, that are particularly stable among small clusters. In order to resolve their still unknown atomic structure, we performed voltage dependent scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) measurements providing interesting information about the electronic properties of clusters which are linked with their atomic structure. Based on a structural model of Au cluster on Si(111)–(7 × 7) and our STM images, we propose an atomic arrangement for the two most stable Ag “ring-like” clusters.     

Atomic resolution noncontact atomic force and scanning tunneling microscopy of TiO2(110)-(1 x 1) and - (1 x 2): simultaneous imaging of surface structures and electronic states

We present simultaneous imaging of TiO2(110)-(1 x 1) and - (1 x 2) using noncontact atomic force microscopy (NC-AFM) and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). The surface topography was imaged under NC-AFM feedback, while the surface electronic states were imaged by STM. The image contrasts of NC-AFM and STM were antiphase in (1 x 1) and in phase in (1 x 2). The uppermost oxygen and Ti atoms underneath were, respectively, imaged by NC-AFM and STM. The NC-AFM image contrast was close to the true surface topography in (1 x 2), but reduced in (1 x 1).     

Direct measurement of electron transport features in cytochrome c via V–I characteristics of STM currents

The morphology of and electron tunneling through single and cluster cytochrome c molecules deposited on self-assembled dodecanthiol monolayer film on a gold substrate have been studied experimentally using scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and scanning tunneling spectroscopy. STM images of a single cytochrome c molecule revealed a globular structure with a diameter of 4 nm and height of 1.5 nm. A spectroscopic study obtained by recording tunneling current–bias voltage (V–I) curves revealed that the STM current increases stepwise at asymmetric threshold sample bias voltages of +100 mV and –200 mV.     

Study of local density of electron states in InGaAs/GaAs quantum rings by combined STM/AFM

The electronic structure of self-assembled InGaAs/GaAs(001) quantum rings grown by atmospheric pressure metal-organic vapor phase epitaxy has been investigated by combined scanning tunneling/atomic force microscopy (STM/AFM) in ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) for the first time. The current images and the tunnel spectra of contact of Pt-coated Si AFM probe to the quantum ring heterostructure surface revealing the spatial distribution of the local density of states and the electron size quantization spectra in the quantum rings have been obtained.     

Ion scattering spectroscopy and scanning tunneling microscopy: A powerful combination for surface structure analysis

Low-energy ion backscattering and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) have been used in combination to get better insight into the field of surface crystallography. The synergic effectiveness resulting from the complementing character of the two methods has been exemplified at clean NiAl(111) and for oxygen and nitrogen adsorption on Cu(110). The position of the atom cores is accessible by the low-energy noble gas impact collision ion scattering spectroscopy with neutral detection (NICISS). As a technique averaging over a macroscopic area of the sample, NICISS is better suited to supply information on features of completely developed phases, either on clean or adsorbate saturated surfaces. Additional information, on the other hand, can be gained by scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), which as a powerful local probe may be used to image surfaces with atomic resolution and to monitor defects, steps and the growth kinetics of e.g. adsorption-induced phase changes.     

Doping of magic nanoclusters in the submonolayer In/Si(100) system

Si(100)4 x 3-In reconstruction is essentially a superlattice of magic (identical-size) Si7In6 nanoclusters. Using scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) observations, we have found that under appropriate growth conditions up to 35% of these clusters can be modified; namely, two Si atoms in the cluster can be replaced by two In atoms, thus forming a Si5In8 cluster. This modification can be considered as a doping of the magic cluster, as it changes the electronic properties of the cluster from semiconducting towards metallic. The doped cluster is less rigid than the ordinary one and swings in the electrical field of the STM tip. The atomic structure and stability of the doped magic cluster have been examined using first-principles total-energy calculations.     

Scanning probe microscopy characterization of gold-chemisorbed poplar plastocyanin mutants

Two poplar plastocyanin mutants adsorbed onto gold electrodes have been characterized at single molecule level by scanning probe microscopy. Immobilization of the two redox metalloprotein mutants on Au(1 1 1) surface was achieved by either a disulphide bridge (PCSS) or a single thiol (PCSH), both the anchoring groups having been introduced by site-directed mutagenesis. Scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) analysis gives evidence of a stable and robust binding of both mutants to gold. The lateral dimensions, as estimated by STM, and the height above the gold substrate, as evaluated by AFM, of the two mutants well agree with crystallographic sizes. A narrower height distribution is observed for PCSS compared to PCSH, corresponding to a more homogeneous orientation of the former mutant adsorbed onto gold. Major differences between the mutants are observed by electrochemical STM. In particular, the image contrast of adsorbed PCSS is affected by tuning the external electrochemical potential to the redox levels of the mutant, consistent with some involvement of copper active site in the tunneling process. On the contrary, no contrast variation is observed in electrochemical STM of adsorbed PCSH. Moreover, scanning tunneling spectroscopy experiments reveal asymmetric I–V characteristics for single PCSS proteins, reminiscent of a rectifying-like behaviour, whereas an almost symmetric I–V relation is observed for PCSH.     

Scanning tunneling microscopy study of surface reconstruction induced by N adsorption on Cu (100) surface

The reconstructed structure of Cu (100) surface induced by atomic N adsorption is studied by using scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). The 2D structure of copper boundary between neighbouring N covered islands is found to be sensitive to the growth conditions, e.g. N⁺ bombardment time and annealing temperature. The copper boundary experiences a transition from nano-scale stripe to nano-particle when the substrate is continuously annealed at 623~K for a longer time. A well-defined copper-stripe network can be achieved by precisely controlling the growth conditions, which highlights the possibility of producing new templates for nanofabrication.     

Interpretation of scanning tunneling microscopy and atomic force microscopy images of 1T-TiS2

The surface of 1T-TiS₂ was examined by scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The STM and AFM images of this compound were interpreted on the basis of the partial electron density ρ(r,E_F) and total electron density ρ(r) of a slab which consists of six (001) 1T-TiS₂ layers. Electronic structure calculations were performed using the ab-initio Hartree–Fock program crystal. It was found that the bright spots in experimental STM images correspond to sulfur atoms at both positive and negative bias voltages. The AFM image showed a periodicity which can be explained by the atomic corrugation at the surface. Structural defects on the surface were also investigated, and their interpretation constitutes experimental proof that only sulfur atoms were detected by scanning probe microscopies.