A combined ion-sputtering and electron-beam annealing device for the in vacuo postpreparation of scanning probes

Abstract

We describe the setup, characteristics, and application of an in vacuo ion-sputtering and electronbeam annealing device for the postpreparation of scanning probes (e.g., scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) tips) under ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) conditions. The proposed device facilitates the straightforward implementation of a common two-step cleaning procedure, where the first step consists of ion-sputtering, while the second step heals out sputtering-induced defects by thermal annealing. In contrast to the standard way, no dedicated external ion-sputtering gun is required with the proposed device. The performance of the described device is demonstrated by SEM micrographs and energy dispersive x-ray characterization of electrochemically etched tungsten tips prior and after postprocessing.

Scanning probe microscope simulator for the assessment of noise in scanning probe microscopy controllers

“…unstable tips yielded in manifold tip preparation methods and for more detailed information we refer the reader to Refs. [8][9][10][11]. Despite of all these efforts, it can never be excluded that the tip-sample system changes at the atomic level.…”

Highly reproducible low temperature scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy with in situ prepared tips

“…Therefore, reproducible in situ tip preparation and characterization procedures become crucial. Nevertheless, most of in situ tip preparation procedures require dedicated setups such as ion milling, argon sputtering or UHV annealing [1][2][3] which are typically not available in some STM setups (especially in those operated at ultralow temperatures and high magnetic fields). Other common in situ preparation procedures rely on intentionally crashing the tip against the substrate to coat the tip with the substrate material [4].…”

“…Andres Castellanos-Gomez 1,2 * Gabino Rubio-Bollinger 1,3, *, Manuela Garnica 1,4 , Sara Barja 1,4 , Amadeo L. Vázquez de Parga 1,3,4 , Rodolfo Miranda 1,3,4 and Nicolás Agraït 1,3,4 .…”