title: A microfabricated sensor for thin dielectric layers.
abstract: We describe a sensor for the measurement of thin dielectric layers capable of operation in a variety of environments. The sensor is obtained by microfabricating a capacitor with interleaved aluminum fingers, exposed to the dielectric to be measured. In particular, the device can measure thin layers of solid frozen from a liquid or gaseous medium. Sensitivity to single atomic layers is achievable in many configurations and, by utilizing fast, high sensitivity capacitance readout in a feedback system onto environmental parameters; coatings of few layers can be dynamically maintained. We discuss the design, readout, and calibration of several versions of the device optimized in different ways. We specifically dwell on the case in which atomically thin solid xenon layers are grown and stabilized, in cryogenic conditions, from a liquid xenon bath.
authors.affiliation: Physics Department, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, USA.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fierlinger
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: DeVoe
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Flatt
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gratta
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Green
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kolkowitz
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Leport
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Montero Diez
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Neilson
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: O'Sullivan
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pocar
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wodin