Single-step electrochemical method for producing very sharp Au scanning tunneling microscopy tips.
A single-step electrochemical method for making sharp gold scanning tunneling microscopy tips is described. 3.0M NaCl in 1% perchloric acid is compared to several previously reported etchants. The addition of perchloric acid to sodium chloride solutions drastically shortens etching times and is shown by transmission electron microscopy to produce very sharp tips with a mean radius of curvature of 15 nm.
Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, 207 Pleasant Street SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, USA.
David
D
Gingery
Philippe
P
Bühlmann
D004563:Electrochemistry / Q000379:methods*; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D006046:Gold / Q000737:chemistry*; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D016252:Microscopy, Scanning Tunneling / Q000295:instrumentation*; D008904:Miniaturization; D049329:Nanostructures / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014159:Transducers
D006046:Gold