Scanning tunneling microscope

• US 5,038,034 A
• Filed: 08/29/1989
• Issued: 08/06/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Inventors: Fujita, Shigeto
• Primary Examiner(s): Berman, Jack I.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Kiet T.
• Application Number:
  US07/399,849
• Time in Patent Office: 707 Days
• Field of Search: 250/306, 250/307, 250/309, 250/310, 250/311, 250/423 F
• US Class Current: 850/9
• CPC Class Codes: G01Q 30/16 Vacuum environment
• CPC Class Codes: G01Q 30/20 Sample handling devices or methods
• CPC Class Codes: G01Q 60/16 Probes, their manufacture, or their related instrumentation, e.g. holders
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/861 Scanning tunneling probe
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/868 with optical means

Abstract

A scanning tunneling microscope is arranged to cause a tunneling current to flow through a gap between a specimen and a probe housed in a vacuum chamber, and is provided with a working arrangement for reshaping the probe. The arrangement enables the reshaping of the probe without releasing a vacuum in the vacuum chamber.

Claims

1. A scanning tunneling microscope comprising:

a vacuum chamber;

means for mounting a specimen in said vacuum chamber;

a probe in said vacuum chamber;

a tip of said probe facing said means for mounting, whereby a scanning of said specimen can be performed;

said tip being subject to transverse deformation resulting from contact with said specimen during scanning of said specimen;

means for reshaping said probe to remove said transverse deformation of said tip, whereby scanning of said specimen can be resumed;

said means for reshaping includes a laser, said laser having sufficient power to remove material from a surface of said probe; and

said means for reshaping being operable in a vacuum chamber, whereby said probe may be reshaped without releasing a vacuum from said vacuum chamber.

2. A scanning tunneling microscope according to claim 1, wherein said laser is disposed inside said vacuum chamber.

3. A scanning tunneling microscope according to claim 1, wherein a substantial part of said laser is disposed outside said vacuum chamber, and said vacuum chamber includes a window, that is substantially transparent to an optical output of said laser, for permitting said optical output to impinge on said probe.

4. A scanning tunneling microscope comprising:

a vacuum chamber;

means for mounting a specimen in said vacuum chamber;

a probe in said vacuum chamber;

a tip of said probe facing said means for mounting, whereby a scanning of said specimen can be performed;

said tip being subject to transverse deformation resulting from contact with said specimen during scanning of said specimen;

means for reshaping said probe to remove said transverse deformation of said tip, whereby scanning of said specimen can be resumed;

said means for reshaping includes a beam of charged particles; and

said means for reshaping being operable in a vacuum chamber, whereby said probe may be reshaped without releasing a vacuum from said vacuum chamber.

5. A scanning tunneling microscope according to claim 4, wherein said charged particles are electrons.

6. A scanning tunneling microscope according to claim 4, wherein said charged particles are ions.

7. A scanning tunneling microscope comprising:

a vacuum chamber;

means for mounting a specimen in said vacuum chamber;

a probe in said vacuum chamber;

a tip of said probe facing said means for mounting, whereby a scanning of said specimen can be performed;

said tip being subject to transverse deformation resulting from contact with said specimen during scanning of said specimen;

means for reshaping said probe to remove said transverse deformation of said tip, whereby scanning of said specimen can be resumed;

said means for reshaping includes an etching gas; and

said means for reshaping being operable in a vacuum chamber, whereby said probe may be reshaped without releasing a vacuum from said vacuum chamber.