Element specific imaging by scanning tunneling microscopy combined with synchrotron radiation light

Abstract

Microscopic surface images showing a distribution of a designated element was obtained by scanning tunneling microscopy combined with synchrotron radiation light. A tip current induced by photoirradiation is found to increase when the photon energy is just above the absorption edge of a sample element. From the photoinduced current measured during the tip scanning over the surface, element specific images were obtained. An estimated spatial resolution of the chemical imaging is less than 20 nm, better than that achieved by photoemission electron microscopy. © 2006 American Institute of Physics.