Development of a Low Temperature, High-field, Ultra-high Vacuum Scanning Tunneling Microscope

9501156 Zettl扫描隧道显微镜（STM）的发明对凝聚态物理和其他学科产生了巨大的影响。虽然STM最初只是用作高分辨率，低速电子成像设备，但最近一代STM已经看到了更广泛的应用，包括皮秒分辨率的隧道和激励过程以及非线性光学过程的控制，如频率混合和谐波产生。一个长期的目标是能够使用STM来构建和表征新的纳米级结构，由原子或分子组成。虽然难以捉摸，但这种能力有望研究量子尺寸效应、原子相互作用和新型电子电路元件。该奖项将发现下一代STM的建设，专门设计用于组装和表征具有不同寻常电子特性的纳米级结构。这台机器将独特地结合材料合成、操作和高分辨率表征能力，包括在高磁场下的超高真空（UHV）低温下的操作，原子分辨率和无与伦比的高速数据处理。在凝聚态物理中有几个突出的问题需要这样一台机器，并为它的建造提供了最初的动机：(1)研究金属和超导团簇；(2)一维和二维材料光谱；(3)网络和量子约束结构的制备。＊＊＊

9501156 Zettl The invention of the scanning tunneling microscope (STM) has had tremendous impact on condensed matter physics and other disciplines. Although the STM was used originally only as a high-resolution, low-speed electronic imaging device, recent generation STM's have seen a wider variety of applications, including the picosecond resolution of tunneling and excitation processes and the control of nonlinear optical processes such as frequency mixing and harmonic generation. One long-time goal has been the ability to use the STM to construct and characterize new nanoscale structures, formed atom-by-atom or molecule-by-molecule. Although elusive, this capability promises the investigation of quantum size effects, atomic interactions, and novel electronic circuit elements. This award will find the construction of the next-generation STM, designed specifically to assemble and characterize nanoscale structures with unusual electronic properties. This machine will uniquely combine materials synthesis, manipulation, and high-resolution characterization capabilities, including operation at low temperature in ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) under high magnetic field, with atomic resolution and with unsurpassed high-speed data processing. Several outstanding problems in condensed matter physics necessitate such a machine and provide the initial motivation for its construction: (1) studies of metallic and superconducting clusters; (2) spectroscopy of one-and two-dimensional materials; and (3) fabrication of networks and quantum confined structures. ***