Scanning tunneling microscopy on rough surfaces-quantitative image analysis

Abstract

In this communication, the application of scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) for a quantitative evaluation of roughnesses and mean island sizes of polycrystalline thin films is discussed. Provided strong conditions concerning the resolution are satisfied, the results are in good agreement with standard techniques as, for example, transmission electron microscopy. Owing to its high resolution, STM can supply a better characterization of surfaces than established methods, especially concerning the roughness. Microscopic interpretations of surface dependent physical properties thus can be considerably improved by a quantitative analysis of STM images.

Electrochemical Scanning Tunneling Microscopy (ECSTM) – From Theory to Future Applications

“…This progress relies on instrumental improvements (better signal-to-noise characteristics, low thermal drift, improved detection and control of the tip-sample forces, etc.) and the use of sharp probes [87].…”

The influence of surface roughness on electronic transport in thin films

“…This point has been already stressed in refs. [6,7]: based on the STM image and a properly evaluated tip shape, the real surface can be reconstructed except those parts, the tip was not in tunneling contact with during scanning the surface. The numerical procedure proposed in ref.…”

New Developments in Polymer Analytics II

“…As was demonstrated theoretically, a single atom at the end of a rigid tip is not stable as well as tips with an infinite aspect ratio do not exist [227,228]. Therefore, SFM tips are truncated and require a special procedure to calibrate their unknown geometry.…”