Scanning Tunneling Microscope - How Nanoscientists see Atoms

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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 too…

John C. Bean - WeCanFigureThisOut.org


    • Jul 24, 2017 LATEST EPISODE
    • infrequent NEW EPISODES
    • 29 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from Scanning Tunneling Microscope - How Nanoscientists see Atoms

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

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 24, 2017 0:09


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

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 24, 2017 0:06


    The heart of the STM is an atomically sharp probe.

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 24, 2017 0:15


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

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 24, 2017 0:16


    A feedback loop holds the electron current constant by keeping the distance from probe to sample constant.

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 24, 2017 0:10


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

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 24, 2017 0:12


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

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 24, 2017 0:23


    Another crystal moves it side to side.

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 24, 2017 0:15


    A third crystal moves it up and down.

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 24, 2017 0:15


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

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 24, 2017 0:11


    The voltage to the back crystal determines pixel color. Voltages on the other crystals move the probe and pixels side-to-side and up-and-down.

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 24, 2017 0:30


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

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 24, 2017 0:11


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

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 24, 2017 0:31


    This STM is so simple that we use it in UVA classes. But it also earned two physicists the Nobel Prize in 1986.

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 24, 2017 0:13


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

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 24, 2017 0:09


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

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 24, 2017 0:06


    The heart of the STM is an atomically sharp probe.

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 24, 2017 0:15


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

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 24, 2017 0:16


    A feedback loop holds the electron current constant by keeping the distance from probe to sample constant.

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 24, 2017 0:10


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

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 24, 2017 0:12


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

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 24, 2017 0:23


    Another crystal moves it side to side.

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 24, 2017 0:15


    A third crystal moves it up and down.

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 24, 2017 0:15


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

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 24, 2017 0:11


    The voltage to the back crystal determines pixel color. Voltages on the other crystals move the probe and pixels side-to-side and up-and-down.

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 24, 2017 0:30


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

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 24, 2017 0:11


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

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 24, 2017 0:31


    This STM is so simple that we use it in UVA classes. But it also earned two physicists the Nobel Prize in 1986.

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 24, 2017 0:13


    This podcast is drawn from the Virtual Lab presentations of WeCanFigureThisOut.org. The copyrighted material of this site was developed under funding from National Science Foundation CCLI, NIRT, MRSEC and NUE programs. This project is led by John C. Be

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 31, 1969 0:33


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