Asylum Research cypher - Introduction and Preparation; Required Equipment; 9 Scanning Tunneling Microscopy

Ch. 9. Scanning Tunneling Microscopy
9. Scanning Tunneling Microscopy (STM)
CHAPTER REV. 1659, DATED 10/07/2013, 22:54. USER GUIDE REV. 1714, DATED 10/25/2013, 20:36.
Chapter Contents
9.1 Introduction and Preparation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
9.2 Required Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
9.3 Preparing an STM sample . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
9.4 Load the tip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
9.5 Zero Various Offsets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
9.6 Set up to engage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
9.7 Set scan parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
9.8 STM IV Curves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
9.9 Set IV Parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
9.10 STM probes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
9.11 Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
9.11.1 Testing the STM holder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
9.11.2 The Current2 Signal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
9.1. Introduction and Preparation
This is a fairly basic set of instructions on STM imaging with Cypher. At some point we hope to do a
more proper STM tutorial chapter which focus on imaging graphite with atomic resolution.
This chapter assumes you are familiar with AFM techniques on Cypher. You should completed the
tutorial in
Chapter 4 on page 17 at least once.
9.2. Required Equipment
• Cypher Standard Scanner
• Handheld Digital Voltmeter
• Cypher STM tip holder (See
Figure 9.1 on page 104)
• STM tips
• Jumper wire for applying bias to conducting sample
• Some tiny magnets and some tweezers and a few tools.
support.asylumresearch.com Page 103