A high-reflectivity atom-focusing mirror stable at room temperature

Barredo, Daniel; Laurent, Guillaume; Calleja, F.; Nieto, P.; Hinarejos, J. J.; Parga, Amadeo L. Vázquez de; Farı́as, Daniel; Miranda, Rodolfo

doi:10.1063/1.3325033

Cited by 7 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 16 publications

(14 reference statements)

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“…The lack of any loss of the beam to diffuse reflection from a mirror is only one factor in this. Mirror experiments by Barredo et al 11,12 indicated a count rate (presumably detector counts) of somewhat under 10 7 per second, but it is difficult to relate this to the atom intensity at a given spot size. One would presume that in time focusing methods can achieve higher inten-sities than pinhole optics, but this does not currently appear to be the case.…”

Section: A Sourcementioning

confidence: 99%

A simple approach to neutral atom microscopy

Witham

Sánchez

2011

Review of Scientific Instruments

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Scanning surfaces using a beam of noncharged atoms or molecules allows for especially nondestructive and low-energy surface imaging, with the potential to obtain new information about surfaces that cannot be easily obtained otherwise. We have developed a new approach, operating with the sample at a close working distance from an aperture, the need for optics to focus the beam is obviated. Compared to more complex approaches, the theoretical performance has no other disadvantage than the short working distance. Resolution of 1.5 μm has been achieved, and submicron resolution appears to be practical. Construction of the microscope and results are presented, including first images done in reflection mode, theory for optimization of the design and avenues for future improvement.

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Section: A Sourcementioning

confidence: 99%

A simple approach to neutral atom microscopy

Witham

Sánchez

2011

Review of Scientific Instruments

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“…6 Quantum-stabilized Pb films on Si(111) 8 and Pb(H3 Â H3)R30/Si(111) surfaces 9 provide high specular He reflectivity ($15%) but are only stable in ultrahigh vacuum (UHV). We have recently shown that monolayer graphene (MLG) on Ru(0001) single crystals can provide an inert surface 10,11 with high reflectivity for thermal He and H 2 beams.…”

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confidence: 99%

A high-reflectivity, ambient-stable graphene mirror for neutral atomic and molecular beams

Sutter

Minniti

Albrecht

et al. 2011

Applied Physics Letters

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We report a He and H 2 diffraction study of graphene-terminated Ru(0001) thin films grown epitaxially on c-axis sapphire. Even for samples exposed for several weeks to ambient conditions, brief annealing in ultrahigh vacuum restored extraordinarily high specular reflectivities for He and H 2 beams (23% and 7% of the incident beam, respectively). The quality of the angular distributions recorded with both probes exceeds the one obtained from in-situ prepared graphene on Ru(0001) single crystals. Our results for graphene-terminated Ru thin films represent a significant step toward ambient tolerant, high-reflectivity curved surface mirrors for He-atom microscopy. Electromagnetic and electrostatic lenses and mirrors allow the facile manipulation of beams of charged particles (electrons, ions). The focusing of neutral particle (atom, molecule) beams is significantly more challenging, but it can in principle be accomplished by either refractive (Fresnel) or reflective optics (surface mirrors). Efficient focusing of neutral He beams would establish a foundation for realizing scanning He atom microscopy.1,2 Using focused beams of neutral, low-energy ($50 meV) He atoms for imaging, this technique could avoid issues due to electrical charging and beam damage inherent in higher energy electron-or ion microscopy, and thus provide unprecedented insight into the nanoscale structure of biological materials, polymers, ceramics, and other insulators.While the focusing of He atom beams to $2 lm spots has been demonstrated using Fresnel zone plates 2-5 and surface mirrors, 1,6,7 both approaches entail challenges that need to be resolved before sub-lm focusing can be achieved. Free-standing zone plates for high-transmission focusing of neutral beams are fragile, require complex fabrication processes, and suffer from chromatic aberrations. Mirror opticsinherently achromatic-provide a possible alternative. The main obstacle to using atom-focusing mirrors has been the requirement for atomically smooth surfaces with high specular reflectivity, which can remain long-term stable in vacuum and are easily recovered following exposure to ambient conditions. Initial work has employed mirrors of H-passivated Si(111) with specular reflectivities of $1% and limited stability in ambient air.1 Quartz mirrors, appealing for their simplicity, also have low reflectivity except under grazing incidence.6 Quantum-stabilized Pb films on Si(111) 8 and Pb(H3 Â H3)R30/Si(111) surfaces 9 provide high specular He reflectivity ($15%) but are only stable in ultrahigh vacuum (UHV). We have recently shown that monolayer graphene (MLG) on Ru(0001) single crystals can provide an inert surface 10,11 with high reflectivity for thermal He and H 2 beams.12 However, a path toward using such surfaces in curved mirrors has not been demonstrated so far.Curved MLG/Ru focusing elements may be realized by using polycrystalline Ru thin films conformally coating a shaped amorphous substrate (e.g., fused silica), 10 but surface roughness could limit the achievable He spot sizes...

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Experimental Results: Beyond Single Phonons

Benedek

Toennies

2018

Springer Series in Surface Sciences

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A high-reflectivity atom-focusing mirror stable at room temperature

Cited by 7 publications

References 16 publications

A simple approach to neutral atom microscopy

A simple approach to neutral atom microscopy

A high-reflectivity, ambient-stable graphene mirror for neutral atomic and molecular beams

Experimental Results: Beyond Single Phonons

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