Field deposition from metallic tips onto insulating substrates
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Updated: May 28, 2026

Scalable Solution-processed Fabrication Strategy for High-performance, Flexible, Transparent Electrodes with Embedded Metal Mesh
Published on: June 23, 2017
S Fostner1, A Tekiel, J M Topple
1Physics Department, McGill University, Montreal, H3A 2T8, Canada. sfostner@physics.mcgill.ca
Abstract:
The deposition of gold ions from atomic force microscope cantilever tips onto bulk insulating substrates with nearby surface electrodes is discussed. Numerical models of the potential distribution are used to estimate potential barriers for the desorption process. These models indicate deposition height thresholds of 7-10 nm with the tip 20-25 nm from the metallic electrode edge over a KBr surface but greater than 20 nm high for InP/GaAs/InP substrates with a two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) as the back electrode. Experimental results for the deposition of gold clusters over KBr surfaces near metal electrodes in ultra-high vacuum (UHV) are presented and show promising agreement with calculations of the deposition threshold heights. Deposition of clusters over InP is discussed for comparison and indicates similar trends.
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