Stable atomic imaging of Si(1 1 1)-7×7 surface by scanning tunneling microscope with carbon nanotube tip

摘要: Abstract We demonstrated the usefulness of multi-walled carbon nanotube (CNT) as a probe tip scanning tunneling microscope (STM) for imaging atoms on chemically active surfaces in an ultra-high vacuum (UHV) environment. When clean Si(1 1 1)-7×7 surface was scanned with as-prepared CNT tip, atomic nature recognized very first STM image, but after few scans, it quickly degraded by adsorbates (most probably oxygen molecules present case) coming out tip. once annealed thermally UHV, clear observed images long period time without any image degradation even if touched sample surface. Stable UHV will make prope more reliable than before future application.