Scanning Tunneling Microscope - How Nanoscientists see Atoms

Scanning Tunneling Microscope - How Nanoscientists see Atoms

16 episodes

This podcast is drawn from the "Virtual Lab" of WeCanFigureThisOut.org. This Virtual Lab uses 3D virtual reality animations to explain electronics, microelectronics and nanotechnology. This podcast explains how scanning tunneling microscopes (STM's) work. STM's are one the nanoscientist's best tools for seeing individual atoms.

Podcasts

Scanning tunneling microscopes (STMs) allow nanoscientists to see individual atoms.

Published: July 24, 2017, noon
Duration: 9 seconds

Listed in: Science

To see how a Nanosurf easyScan STM works, let's take it apart in virtual reality.

Published: July 24, 2017, noon
Duration: 6 seconds

Listed in: Science

The heart of the STM is an atomically sharp probe.

Published: July 24, 2017, noon
Duration: 15 seconds

Listed in: Science

A voltage induces electrons to jump from the probe's tip to the sample atoms.

Published: July 24, 2017, noon
Duration: 16 seconds

Listed in: Science

But how can it move the probe over these tiny nanometer distances?

Published: July 24, 2017, noon
Duration: 12 seconds

Listed in: Science

Voltages to a piezoelectric crystal move the probe in and out.

Published: July 24, 2017, noon
Duration: 23 seconds

Listed in: Science

Another crystal moves it side to side.

Published: July 24, 2017, noon
Duration: 15 seconds

Listed in: Science

A third crystal moves it up and down.

Published: July 24, 2017, noon
Duration: 15 seconds

Listed in: Science

Let's see how these work together to create an atomic scale map of the sample surface.

Published: July 24, 2017, noon
Duration: 11 seconds

Listed in: Science

But how do we first position the probe only a nanometer or so from the sample surface?

Published: July 24, 2017, noon
Duration: 11 seconds

Listed in: Science

It's done by ratcheting this cylinder in until an electron current is sensed.

Published: July 24, 2017, noon
Duration: 31 seconds

Listed in: Science

All of the scenes together

Published: May 11, 2006, 11:59 a.m.
Duration: 3 minutes 41 seconds

Listed in: Science