Scanning tunneling microscope as a micromechanical tool
1987; American Institute of Physics; Volume: 50; Issue: 10 Linguagem: Inglês
10.1063/1.98137
ISSN1520-8842
Autores Tópico(s)Advanced Materials Characterization Techniques
ResumoThe need to fashion materials on a submicron scale is now well recognized. In a scanning tunneling microscope we have been able to achieve nanometer scale control of the depth of penetration of the probe into a thin insulating film, and by laterally traversing the probe we have been able to machine away submicron-wide, 20-nm-thick strips of the insulating film without damage to the substrate or probe. This could represent a new approach to ultrafine machining. However, the detailed mechanism of how the tunneling current through the film can be used to control the machining depth is still unclear.
Referência(s)