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Components of STM

The main components of an STM include a scanning tip made of tungsten or platinum-iridium with a single atom at the apex, a piezoelectric scanner that uses voltage to control the tip's position in the x, y, and z directions with sub-nanometer precision, a distance control and scanning unit for coarse positioning, a computer to process tunneling current data and map the surface, and a vibration isolation system to maintain the precise tip-sample distance of 0.1 nm and reduce vibrations.

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374 views

Components of STM

The main components of an STM include a scanning tip made of tungsten or platinum-iridium with a single atom at the apex, a piezoelectric scanner that uses voltage to control the tip's position in the x, y, and z directions with sub-nanometer precision, a distance control and scanning unit for coarse positioning, a computer to process tunneling current data and map the surface, and a vibration isolation system to maintain the precise tip-sample distance of 0.1 nm and reduce vibrations.

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najiha_tahir
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© © All Rights Reserved
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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2.

2 Components of STM

The main components of STM include scanning tip, Piezoelectric scanner, Distance
control and scanning unit, Vibration isolation system and Data processing unit (Computer).

1.0 Scanning Tip


STM tips are usually made from tungsten metal or a platinum-iridium alloy where
at the very of the tip (called apex) there is one atom of the material. Scanning tip
is the most important aspects of the STM as tunnelling current is carried by that
particular atom.

2.0 Piezoelectric Scanner

The scanner tip is attached to a piezoelectric tube scanner. Piezoelectric effect is a


phenomenon under which the material changes its length accordingly when put
under an electrical voltage.

By adjusting the voltage on the piezoelectric element, the distance between the tip
and the surface can be regulated.
Piezoelectric crystals expand and contract very slightly depending on the voltage
applied to them and this principle is used to control the horizontal position x, y,
and the height z of the scanning tip.

3.0 Distance Control and Scanning unit


Position control using piezoelectric means is extremely fine, so a coarse control is
needed to position the tip close enough to the sample before the piezoelectric
control can take over.

4.0 Data Processing Unit (Computer)


The computer records the tunnelling current and controls the voltage to the
piezoelectric tubes to produce a 3-dimensional map on the sample surface.

5.0 Vibration Isolation System


STM deals with extremely fine position measurements so the isolation of any
vibrations is very important.

The tip and surface distance be maintained in Ao (0.1 nm) to get desired atomic
resolution.

Due to extremely high sensitivity of tunnelling current between tip and sample
surface height, it is absolutely necessary to reduce inner vibrations and to isolate
the system from external vibration.

Damping can be achieved by : Pneumatic systems


Spring system
Eddy current system

Reference
(1996) Surface Analysis with STM, AFM: Experimental and Theoretical Aspects of Image Analysis (VCH, New
York).

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