In order to achieve nondestructive observation of the three-dimensional spatially resolved electronic structure of solids, we have developed a scanning photoelectron microscope system with the capability of depth profiling in electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis (ESCA). We call this system 3D nano-ESCA. For focusing the x-ray, a Fresnel zone plate with a diameter of 200 μm and an outermost zone width of 35 nm is used. In order to obtain the angular dependence of the photoelectron spectra for the depth-profile analysis without rotating the sample, we adopted a modified VG Scienta R3000 analyzer with an acceptance angle of 60° as a high-resolution angle-resolved electron spectrometer. The system has been installed at the University-of-Tokyo Materials Science Outstation beamline, BL07LSU, at SPring-8. From the results of the line-scan profiles of the poly-Si/high-k gate patterns, we achieved a total spatial resolution better than 70 nm. The capability of our system for pinpoint depth-profile analysis and high-resolution chemical state analysis is demonstrated.

The authors have developed an ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) variable-temperature four-tip scanning tunneling microscope (STM), operating from room temperature down to 7 K, combined with a scanning electron microscope (SEM). Four STM tips are mechanically and electrically independent and capable of positioning in arbitrary configurations in nanometer precision. An integrated controller system for both of the multitip STM and SEM with a single computer has also been developed, which enables the four tips to operate either for STM imaging independently and for four-point probe (4PP) conductivity measurements cooperatively. Atomic-resolution STM images of graphite were obtained simultaneously by the four tips. Conductivity measurements by 4PP method were also performed at various temperatures with the four tips in square arrangement with direct contact to the sample surface.

The in-plane energy dispersion of quantized states in an ultrathin Ag film formed on the one-dimensional (1D) surface superstructure Si(111)-(4 x 1)-In shows clear 1D anisotropy instead of the isotropic two-dimensional free-electron-like behavior expected for an isolated metal film. The present photoemission results demonstrate that an atomic layer at the film-substrate interface can regulate the dimensionality of electron motion in quantum films.

Nanoscale spectromicroscopic characterizing technique is indispensable for realization of future high-speed graphene transistors. Highly spatially resolved soft X-ray photoelectron microscopy measurements have been performed using our “3D nano-ESCA” (three-dimensional nanoscale electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis) equipment in order to investigate the local electronic states at interfaces in a graphene device structure. We have succeeded in detecting a charge transfer region at the graphene/metal-electrode interface, which extends over ∼500 nm with the energy difference of 60 meV. Moreover, a nondestructive depth profiling reveals the chemical properties of the graphene/SiO2-substrate interface.