NER: Measuring Atomic Size Objects on Electrically Insulating Surfaces in Ultrahigh Vacuum

该提案是响应纳米科学与工程计划，NSF 04-043，纳米探索性研究类别而收到的。本研究的目的是在超高真空环境下，研究可用于原子力显微镜和扫描隧道显微镜的碳纳米管探针尖端。这些新尖端将在空气中制备，然后在真空中用于对平面上几个原子高的金属颗粒成像。实验结果将与预测粒子表观高度和横向范围与粒子结构、粒子和基底的组成以及尖端尖端大小的依赖关系的计算结果进行比较。本研究旨在开发一种新的工具来测量纳米尺度制造过程中产生的原型纳米尺度物体。研究成果将纳入教育计划，包括研讨会、扫描探针显微镜专题课程和年度纳米技术前沿课程。不同的学生群体将接受培训，掌握这些测量技术的关键应用。

This proposal was received in response to Nanoscale Science and Engineering initiative, NSF 04-043, category Nanoscale Exploratory Research. The objective of this work is to research carbon nanotube probe tips that can be used for both atomic force microscopy and scanning tunneling microscopy in an ultrahigh vacuum environment. These new tips will be prepared in air and then used in vacuum to image metallic particles a few atoms in height on flat surfaces. The experimental results will be compared with calculations that predict the dependence of the apparent height and lateral extent of a particle on the structure of the particle, the composition of the particle and the substrate, and the size of the tip apex.This research aims to develop a novel tool to measure prototype nanometer-scale objects that are produced in the development of nanometer-scale manufacturing processes. The research results will be integrated into the education program, including seminars, a special topics course in scanning probe microscopy, and in the yearly frontiers of nanotechnology course. A diverse group of students will receive training in the critical use of these measurement techniques.