Pneumatically and electrostatically driven scanning tunneling microscope

Claim 1

A scanning tunneling microscope comprising at least one electron-emitting tip maintained at an essentially constant distance along a Z-axis from a sample surface, an XY-drive for scanning said tip in a matrix fashion across said sample surface, means for controlling said tunnel current to maintain said distance essentially constant, characterized in that said XY-drive consists of at least four electrodes spaced from a counter-electrode; said four electrodes being upper electrodes arranged on a member, or lower electrodes arranged on substrate; said counter-electrode being connected to a membrane; and said electron-emitting tip being capable of moving along the Z-axis normal to the sample surface forming an integral part of said membrane.

Claim 10

A method of making a scanning tunneling microscope using pneumatic and electrostatic control of tip motion, comprising the following steps: a) depositing masking layers on either side of a semiconductor substrate; etching a pit of several μm depth into the front masking layer and into the substrate in a size which corresponds to the future membrane size; b) removing said front side masking layer; depositing a resistent masking layer on said etched pit; c) providing an opening in a layer in the center of said pit; etching a hole through the substrate; d) removing the remaining masking layer; and covering the front side of the substrate including said hole with a tensile stressed film; e) opening said back side masking layer; thinning down the substrate to expose the future membrane and tip; applying a metal layer to said tensile stressed film on the front side and patterning a first electrode so as to extend over said pit; f) applying a metal layer to a member and patterning second electrodes; and g) bonding said member with second electrodes to the substrate frame with the second electrodes being positioned above the first electrode on the membrane; and removing the remaining mask from the back side of substrate; thinning the substrate frame by etching; and applying a metal coating on the tip and a part of substrate.

Claim 11

A method of making a scanning tunneling microscope using pneumatic and electrostatic control of tip motion, comprising the following steps: a) depositing masking layers on either side of a semiconductor substrate; etching a pit of several μm depth into the front masking layer and into the substrate in a size which corresponds to the future membrane size; b) removing said front side masking layer; depositing a resistent masking layer on said etched pit; c) providing an opening in a layer in the center of said pit; etching a hole through the substrate; d) removing the remaining masking layer; and covering the front side of the substrate including said hole with a tensile stressed film; e) opening said back side masking layer; thinning down the substrate to expose the future membrane and tip; applying a metal layer to said tensile stressed film on the front side and patterning a first electrode so as to extend over said pit; f) applying a metal layer to a member and patterning second electrodes; and g) bonding said member with second electrodes to the substrate frame with the second electrodes being positioned above the first electrode on the membrane; and removing the remaining mask from the back side of substrate; thinning the substrate frame by etching; and applying a metal coating on the tip and a part of substrate.

Claim 18

A method of making a scanning tunneling microscope using pneumatic and electrostatic control of tip motion, comprising the following steps: a) applying a metal layer to a substrate and patterning first electrodes; and applying a dielectric layer to the surface of electrodes overlapping said electrodes; b) applying a metal layer to said dielectric layer and patterning to form an annular conductor which covers approximately the same area as said first electrodes and forms the second electrode; depositing a dielectric layer on top of said annular conductor to form a generally circular sandwich; c) providing an opening in the center of the generally circular sandwich and etching a hole through the substrate; d) covering the circular sandwich including the hole with tunnel contact material; applying dielectric layer to the tunnel contact material layer and to the entire structure; e) removing the substrate material surrounding the tip by etching using a structured oxide mask; thinning the substrate by etching; and etching off the dielectric layer so as to provide clearance space for the sandwich, comprising the membrane, tunnel contact layer with a tip as an integral part of said layers, a dielectric layer, and an annular conductor, for moving along the X, Y, and Z-axes upon the application of electrical fields.

Claim 19

A method of making a scanning tunneling microscope using pneumatic and electrostatic control of tip motion, comprising the following steps: a) applying a metal layer to a substrate and patterning first electrodes; and applying a dielectric layer to the surface of electrodes overlapping said electrodes; b) applying a metal layer to said dielectric layer and patterning to form an annular conductor which covers approximately the same area as said first electrodes and forms the second electrode; depositing a dielectric layer on top of said annular conductor to form a generally circular sandwich; c) providing an opening in the center of the generally circular sandwich and etching a hole through the substrate; d) covering the circular sandwich including the hole with tunnel contact material; applying dielectric layer to the tunnel contact material layer and to the entire structure; e) removing the substrate material surrounding the tip by etching using a structured oxide mask; thinning the substrate by etching; and etching off the dielectric layer so as to provide clearance space for the sandwich, comprising the membrane, tunnel contact layer with a tip as an integral part of said layers, a dielectric layer, and an annular conductor, for moving along the X, Y, and Z-axes upon the application of electrical fields.