Course Objectives

• Understand the basic principles of scanning tunneling and atomic force microscopy (STM and AFM).
• Know the instrumentation required for STM and AFM, including hardware, software, samples, and tips.
• Learn an overview of STM and AFM applications with practical operational details.
• Be introduced to the growing number of STM-related scanning probe techniques.

Course Description

STM evolved rapidly in the 1980s from a unique physics experiment to become a widely applied and highly developed technique for the 1990s.

This course begins with a brief history of the events and technologies that led to the development of STM and AFM. All basic aspects of STM and AFM instrumentation are addressed, including tunneling, tip fabrication, piezoelectric scanner systems, and electronics (feedback control systems, data acquisition, and imaging systems).

The emphasis is on the interaction of the system components of a working imaging instrument. Applications of imaging -- ranging from atomic-resolution surface structure determination to large-area, three-dimensional mapping of manufactured surfaces -- are presented with an emphasis on the practical and instrumentation aspects of various imaging situations. Practical techniques, including tip selection, scanning speed, and current and voltage settings, are addressed for a variety of applications.

Related techniques, such as tunneling spectroscopy and other near-field scanned probes, are also covered.

Course Materials

Course Notes