METHOD OF PRODUCING PROBE OF TUNNEL SCANNING MICROSCOPE AND THE PROBE

摘要

To provide a method of fabricating a probe for a scanning tunneling microscope, which method can prevent contamination of the probe and can realize high resolution through use of ordinary operation functions of an STM, without necessity of improving the STM, as well as a probe fabricated by the method. In fabrication of a probe for a scanning tunneling microscope, a tungsten probe material (1) is disposed within a vacuum chamber of a scanning tunneling microscope such that the tungsten probe material (1) is opposed to a sample substrate (2); the distance between the tungsten probe material (1) and the sample substrate (2) is adjusted to 0.5 to 2 angstroms, and a DC voltage of 10 to 20 V is applied between the tungsten probe material (1) and the sample substrate (2); tunnel current (6) is caused to flow through the tip end to thereby heat the tip end, so that atoms evaporate from the tip end of the tungsten probe material (1); evaporation is continued until the distance between the probe material (1) and the sample substrate (2) becomes 10 to 20 angstroms such that a single atom is held at the tip end of the tungsten probe material (1); and the supply of the voltage is stopped, and the tungsten probe material (1) is cooled.