SCANNING TUNNELLING MICROSCOPY Meaning and
Definition
-
Scanning Tunneling Microscopy (STM) is a powerful technique used in nanotechnology and physics to visualize and study the surface topography and electronic structure of materials at the atomic scale. It was developed by Nobel laureates Gerd Binnig and Heinrich Rohrer in the early 1980s.
The STM operates by scanning a sharp metallic probe tip over the sample surface while maintaining a specific distance between the tip and the material. The probe tip is held within a few atomic diameters of the sample, and a bias voltage is applied between them. Due to quantum mechanical tunneling phenomena, a small electric current flows between the tip and the sample, which is exponentially dependent on the distance between them.
The STM records and maps this current, creating a highly detailed image of the sample's surface topography. By precisely controlling the tip's movement, various imaging modes can be employed, including constant height scans, constant current scans, and constant force scans. Additionally, the STM can be used to manipulate individual atoms and molecules on the surface, enabling the field of nanotechnology.
The imaging resolution of STM is quite remarkable, allowing for the visualization of individual atoms and even their electron clouds. This makes STM an invaluable tool in studying surface properties and phenomena, such as atomic adsorption, surface diffusion, and chemical reactions, providing insights into the fundamental behaviors of materials at the atomic level.
Common Misspellings for SCANNING TUNNELLING MICROSCOPY
- acanning tunnelling microscopy
- zcanning tunnelling microscopy
- xcanning tunnelling microscopy
- dcanning tunnelling microscopy
- ecanning tunnelling microscopy
- wcanning tunnelling microscopy
- sxanning tunnelling microscopy
- svanning tunnelling microscopy
- sfanning tunnelling microscopy
- sdanning tunnelling microscopy
- scznning tunnelling microscopy
- scsnning tunnelling microscopy
- scwnning tunnelling microscopy
- scqnning tunnelling microscopy
- scabning tunnelling microscopy
- scamning tunnelling microscopy
- scajning tunnelling microscopy
- scahning tunnelling microscopy
- scanbing tunnelling microscopy
- scanming tunnelling microscopy
Infographic
Add the infographic to your website:
