Scribd
Upload
792 views21 pages

Tunnel Effect &AFM-STM

Quantum tunneling allows particles to pass through barriers that they could not surmount classically. It occurs because quantum particles exhibit wave-like properties, giving them a probability of being located within classically forbidden regions. Two devices that exploit quantum tunneling are the scanning tunneling microscope (STM) and atomic force microscope (AFM). The STM uses tunneling current between a tip and sample to image individual atoms, while the AFM senses attractive and repulsive forces between a cantilever tip and sample for high-resolution imaging and manipulation. Both were important advances that allowed direct observation and manipulation of matter at the atomic scale.

Uploaded by

Agnivesh Sharma
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
792 views21 pages

Tunnel Effect &AFM-STM

Quantum tunneling allows particles to pass through barriers that they could not surmount classically. It occurs because quantum particles exhibit wave-like properties, giving them a probability of being located within classically forbidden regions. Two devices that exploit quantum tunneling are the scanning tunneling microscope (STM) and atomic force microscope (AFM). The STM uses tunneling current between a tip and sample to image individual atoms, while the AFM senses attractive and repulsive forces between a cantilever tip and sample for high-resolution imaging and manipulation. Both were important advances that allowed direct observation and manipulation of matter at the atomic scale.

Uploaded by

Agnivesh Sharma
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 21

What is Quantum Tunneling?

At the quantum level, matter has


corpuscular and wave-like properties
Tunneling can only be explained by the
wave nature of matter as described by
quantum mechanics
Classically, when a particle is incident
on a barrier of greater energy than the
particle, reflection occurs
When described as a wave, the
particle has a probability of existing
within the barrier region, and even on
the other side of it
Quantum tunnelling (Tunnel effect)
Quantum tunnelling (Tunnel effect):
When a particle is made to incident on a potential
barrier of a limited width, and if its total energy is less
than the barrier height, classically it cannot penetrate
the barrier and will be reflected back.

However in quantum mechanics the particle has some
probability of penetrating through the potential barrier
even if its energy is less than the barrier height. This
effect is known as quantum tunnelling or the tunnel
effect. Thus the wave function can penetrate through the
barrier as shown below.

2
Tunnel effect
.
The above equation shows that T can be
nonzero i.e, there is a finite probability of finding
particle in region III.

) ( 2
where
E U m
C

CL
e T
2
_

An approximate expression for the transmission


coefficient, when T << 1 is
3
Quantum tunnelling was first used to explain
alpha decay. Alpha particles coming out of the
nucleus have energy of 4-5 MeV, still they can
tunnel out from the nucleus with binding
energy of the order 25 MeV.

However the probability of emission of an
alpha particle is 1 in 10
38
events. In a tunnel
diode, the charge carriers tunnel through the
potential barrier (depletion layer). Quantum
tunnelling has found many applications in
various fields.

Quantum tunnelling (Tunnel effect)
STM
The Scanning Tunneling Microscope was invented in 1981 by
Gerd Binnig and Heinrich Rohrer
When a metal tip, usually made of tungsten or platinum-
iridium, is brought within .4-.7nm of the sample, electrons
tunnel across the gap and create a current in the tip
This current is then fed to a computer and used to generate an
image of the atomic surface of the sample
At this distance the coulomb force between the tip and an
atom of the sample is actually enough to move the atom
This has allowed physicists to create images and structures on
the atomic level


STM : Scanning tunnelling Microscope
STM
1
Scanning tunnelling microscope: A scanning
tunnelling microscope (STM) is an instrument for
imaging surfaces at the atomic level.
It was developed in 1981 by Gerd-Binnig and
Heinrich-Rohrer (at IBM Zrich), and for their
invention they got the Nobel Prize in Physics in
1986.
The basic principle behind an STM is quantum
tunnelling.

2
When a conducting tip is brought near to the
sample surface, a bias voltage applied between
the two can allow electrons to tunnel through
the vacuum between them.
The resulting tunnelling current is a function of
tip position, applied voltage, and electronic
nature of the sample.
Information is acquired by monitoring the
current as the tip's position scans across the
surface, and is usually displayed in image form.
3
STM requires extremely clean and stable
surfaces, sharp tips, excellent vibration control,
and sophisticated electronics.
The tip is scanned over the surface using a
piezoelectric probe. Using STM individual atoms
can be imaged and manipulated.
For a current to flow the substrate being
scanned must be conductive. Insulators cannot
be scanned through the STM.
STM has become a very important tool in
research and technology development at the
nano-scale.

Scanning Tunnelling Microscope
Tungsten STM tip
(photo taken with an SEM)
STM Images
AFM
1
Atomic force microscope (AFM): The atomic
force microscope (AFM) is a very powerful
microscope invented by Binnig, Quate and
Gerber in 1986.
Besides imaging at the atomic level it is also
one of the foremost tools for the manipulation
of matter at the nanoscale.
The AFM consists of a cantilever with a sharp
tip (probe) at its end that is used to scan the
specimen surface.

2
AFM:
The cantilever is typically silicon or silicon nitride
with a tip radius of curvature on the order of
nanometers.
When the tip is brought near the sample surface,
forces between the tip and the sample lead to a
deflection of the cantilever according to Hooke's
law.
The deflection is measured using a laser spot
reflected from the top surface of the cantilever into
an array of photodiodes.

Currently AFM is the most common form of
scanning probe microscopy
AFM
AFM- Working Principle
The AFM brings a probe in
close proximity to the
surface
The force is detected by the
deflection of a spring,
usually a cantilever (diving
board)
Forces between the probe
tip and the sample are
sensed to control the
distance between the the
tip and the sample.
van der Waals force curve
Two Modes
Repulsive (contact)
At short probe-sample distances,
the forces are repulsive
Attractive Force (non-contact)
At large probe-sample distances,
the forces are attractive
The AFM cantelever can be used to
measure both attractive force
mode and repulsive forces.

AFM Examples
View of Silicon Surface Reconstruction
Carbon Nanotube Used as a Conducting
AFM Tip for Local Oxidation of Si.

You might also like