Combined atomic force microscope and scanning tunneling microscope with high optical access achieving atomic...

Area of Science:

• Surface Science
• Microscopy
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) face challenges with noise and thermal drift under ambient conditions, hindering atomic resolution.
• Achieving atomic resolution in ambient conditions requires advanced instrumentation to mitigate environmental interference.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and demonstrate a compact, combined AFM and STM system capable of atomic resolution under ambient conditions.
• To address challenges of noise and thermal drift in high-resolution surface imaging.
• To enable integration with optical microscopy techniques.

Main Methods:

• Development of a compact microscope integrating AFM and STM functionalities.
• Utilization of qPlus sensors for enhanced sensitivity and stability.
• Employing materials with low thermal expansion coefficients to minimize drift.
• Performing constant height measurements for stable imaging.

Main Results:

• Demonstrated atomic resolution in both AFM and STM modes on various samples under ambient conditions.
• Significantly reduced thermal drift through material selection and system design.
• Achieved a stable platform for high-resolution surface characterization.
• The design facilitates wide-angle optical access for multimodal imaging.

Conclusions:

• The developed compact AFM/STM system effectively overcomes ambient condition challenges for atomic resolution imaging.
• The design offers a stable and versatile platform for advanced surface science studies, including integration with optical methods.