Scanning tunneling microscope (STM)
1002202-184
[DEFINITION]
A microscope that measures microscopic geometry by keeping the
tunneling current between the probe and the specimen constant while scanning the probe in a raster
pattern.
[DESCRIPTION]
When an extremely sharpened probe approaches to the surface of a solid
material at a distance of 1 to 2 nm and applying a voltage, a tunneling
current is produced between them. By controlling the probe position so
as to keep the tunneling current constant while the probe is moved in the
horizontal direction, the surface profile in atomic scale can be obtained.
This microscope is applied to micro-manipulation where molecules are separated
from the surface of a solid specimen.
[References]
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[Related Terms]