Low-amplitude, force gradient imaging of Cu(100) surface using tunnel current feedback

H. O. Ozer; A. Norris; A. Oral; P. M. Hoffmann; J. B. Pethica

doi:10.1088/0957-4484/15/2/002

Low-amplitude, force gradient imaging of Cu(100) surface using tunnel current feedback

H. O. Ozer^*, A. Norris, A. Oral, P. M. Hoffmann, J. B. Pethica

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

6 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The large corrugation amplitudes in scanning tunnelling microscope (STM) images of metal surfaces have been commonly attributed to the action of forces between the tip and the sample. We have investigated the Cu(100) surface using a high-resolution non-contact atomic force microscope/scanning tunnelling microscope (nc-AFM/STM) in UHV. Force gradient and STM topography images were acquired simultaneously using constant tunnelling current feedback. Force gradient images showed atomic resolution whereas STM scans exhibited almost no contrast, corresponding to a flat tip trajectory during scans. The corrugation height in force gradient images was found to increase as the set tunnelling current was increased. Force gradient and tunnel current were directly measured as a function of separation, to determine the operating conditions during imaging. The STM operation regime is found to lie between the minimum of the stiffness curve and the start of repulsive force.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	S5-S8
Journal	Nanotechnology
Volume	15
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1088/0957-4484/15/2/002
Publication status	Published - Feb 2004
Externally published	Yes

Access to Document

10.1088/0957-4484/15/2/002

Cite this

@article{26fe42b156bf4c7a81f719ccb2804920,

title = "Low-amplitude, force gradient imaging of Cu(100) surface using tunnel current feedback",

abstract = "The large corrugation amplitudes in scanning tunnelling microscope (STM) images of metal surfaces have been commonly attributed to the action of forces between the tip and the sample. We have investigated the Cu(100) surface using a high-resolution non-contact atomic force microscope/scanning tunnelling microscope (nc-AFM/STM) in UHV. Force gradient and STM topography images were acquired simultaneously using constant tunnelling current feedback. Force gradient images showed atomic resolution whereas STM scans exhibited almost no contrast, corresponding to a flat tip trajectory during scans. The corrugation height in force gradient images was found to increase as the set tunnelling current was increased. Force gradient and tunnel current were directly measured as a function of separation, to determine the operating conditions during imaging. The STM operation regime is found to lie between the minimum of the stiffness curve and the start of repulsive force.",

author = "Ozer, {H. O.} and A. Norris and A. Oral and Hoffmann, {P. M.} and Pethica, {J. B.}",

year = "2004",

month = feb,

doi = "10.1088/0957-4484/15/2/002",

language = "English",

volume = "15",

pages = "S5--S8",

journal = "Nanotechnology",

issn = "0957-4484",

publisher = "IOP Publishing Ltd.",

number = "2",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Low-amplitude, force gradient imaging of Cu(100) surface using tunnel current feedback

AU - Ozer, H. O.

AU - Norris, A.

AU - Oral, A.

AU - Hoffmann, P. M.

AU - Pethica, J. B.

PY - 2004/2

Y1 - 2004/2

N2 - The large corrugation amplitudes in scanning tunnelling microscope (STM) images of metal surfaces have been commonly attributed to the action of forces between the tip and the sample. We have investigated the Cu(100) surface using a high-resolution non-contact atomic force microscope/scanning tunnelling microscope (nc-AFM/STM) in UHV. Force gradient and STM topography images were acquired simultaneously using constant tunnelling current feedback. Force gradient images showed atomic resolution whereas STM scans exhibited almost no contrast, corresponding to a flat tip trajectory during scans. The corrugation height in force gradient images was found to increase as the set tunnelling current was increased. Force gradient and tunnel current were directly measured as a function of separation, to determine the operating conditions during imaging. The STM operation regime is found to lie between the minimum of the stiffness curve and the start of repulsive force.

AB - The large corrugation amplitudes in scanning tunnelling microscope (STM) images of metal surfaces have been commonly attributed to the action of forces between the tip and the sample. We have investigated the Cu(100) surface using a high-resolution non-contact atomic force microscope/scanning tunnelling microscope (nc-AFM/STM) in UHV. Force gradient and STM topography images were acquired simultaneously using constant tunnelling current feedback. Force gradient images showed atomic resolution whereas STM scans exhibited almost no contrast, corresponding to a flat tip trajectory during scans. The corrugation height in force gradient images was found to increase as the set tunnelling current was increased. Force gradient and tunnel current were directly measured as a function of separation, to determine the operating conditions during imaging. The STM operation regime is found to lie between the minimum of the stiffness curve and the start of repulsive force.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=1442312612&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1088/0957-4484/15/2/002

DO - 10.1088/0957-4484/15/2/002

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:1442312612

SN - 0957-4484

VL - 15

SP - S5-S8

JO - Nanotechnology

JF - Nanotechnology

IS - 2

ER -

Low-amplitude, force gradient imaging of Cu(100) surface using tunnel current feedback

Abstract

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this