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Preparation of Superconducting Niobium Tips for Atomic-Resolution Scanning Tunneling Microscopy/Spectroscopy

Source: Jpn. J. Appl. Phys. 49, 028004 (2010); doi:10.1143/JJAP.49.028004

Issue Date: 1 March 2010

PUBLICATION DATA
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Ryota Shimizu
Department of Chemistry, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
World Premier International Research Center Initiative, Advanced Institute for Materials Research (WPI-AIMR), Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8577, Japan

Taro Hitosugi
World Premier International Research Center Initiative, Advanced Institute for Materials Research (WPI-AIMR), Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8577, Japan

Tomihiro Hashizume
World Premier International Research Center Initiative, Advanced Institute for Materials Research (WPI-AIMR), Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8577, Japan
Advanced Research Laboratory, Hitachi, Ltd., Hatoyama, Saitama 350-0395, Japan
Department of Physics, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Meguro, Tokyo 152-8551, Japan

Noritaka Fukuo
Materials and Structures Laboratory, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Yokohama 226-8503, Japan

Tetsuya Hasegawa
Department of Chemistry, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
We present a new reliable method to prepare superconducting niobium (Nb) tips for scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy (STM/STS). Sharp Nb tips were fabricated by chemical etching using an electrolyte based on a hydrofluoric acid and hydrogen peroxide solution, followed by field evaporation utilizing field ion microscopy to remove Nb oxide layers from the tip apex. STM/STS measurements of Si(111) and Au(111) surfaces confirmed that the tips had atomic resolution capability together with bulk-like superconducting properties, indicating that the prepared Nb tips can be used as a unique probe for investigating local superconducting and magnetic properties on an atomic scale. ©2010

(As supplied by publisher.)

Permalink: http://dx.doi.org/10.1143/JJAP.49.028004
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