Tip emitter structures fabricated with using the scanning tunneling microscope

Abstract

Summary form only given, as follows. Results are presented of investigations of the fabrication processes of tip emitter structures using the scanning tunneling microscope (STM). Nanostructures were fabricated on the surface of multilayer thin film carbon/Me structures (Me: Cr, Fe, Ni, Mo). The number of layers was varied from 3 to 100. Nanotips were formed as a result of pulsed current action from the STM needle to the substrate: in a selected spot on the surface of the specimen the feedback of the STM servo system is interrupted and a voltage pulse several tens of nanoseconds wide is applied to the tunneling gap. After that using the same needle one can get an STM image of the tip emitter. The possibility is shown of fabricating tip emitter structures consisting of hundreds of nanotips. Factors influencing the nanotip parameters were investigated: residual gas atmosphere, pulsed action modes, characteristics of STM needle, materials of multilayer structures. The tip formation mechanism is discussed.