lvtm

LABORATORY FOR SCANNING PROBE MICROSCOPY (LVTM)

Head of center
dr. Erik Zupanič, erik.zupanic@ijs.si
Phone: (+386 1) 477 35 52

Scanning probe laboratory (SPL) combines research equipment for the preparation and analysis of different surfaces, which is necessary to carry out research and development work at different JSI departments.

In the laboratory there are different ultrahigh vacuum systems with Scanning tunneling microscopes (STM), combined Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) and Low energy electron diffraction (LEED) apparatus and different equipment for in- situ cleaning and preparing of samples.

STM is an extremely powerful method that allows an insight into the crystal and electronic structure of surfaces in real space and real time. It is an indispensable tool for surface science as it enables imaging of metal and semiconductor surfaces with a (sub) atomic resolution and allows measurement of the electronic structure of the sample under the tip with high energy and high spatial resolution. In addition, STM can be used to manipulate individual basic building blocks of matter - atoms and molecules in a controlled way.

AES technique is used to study chemical composition, while with LEED it is possible to observe the crystal structure of the surface. Both methods are surface sensitive and because they are relatively simple they are often used as a method to assess the quality of the prepared surface.