Scanning Tunneling Microscopy Technology

Scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) is an imaging technique that allows researchers to map a conductive sample’s surface atom by atom with ultra-high resolution, without using light or electron beams. STM works by scanning a sharp conductive probe very close to the surface of a conductive specimen and forcing electrons to traverse the gap between them. STM is used to characterize the topology of different metals and delineate the atomic structure of their surfaces. Ambient STMs are commonly used to investigate the structure of self-assembled molecules on surfaces. Besides atomic-scale imaging, it can be used to assemble and manipulate individual atoms on a surface.