Asylum Research Cypher STM

In Scanning Tunneling Microscopy (STM), an electrically-biased tip is scanned very close to a surface (about an atomic diameter away). The current flow between the tip and the sample (due to quantum tunneling) strongly depends on the tip-surface gap; this relationship can be used to generate a surface topography map. Atomic-scale topographic resolution is achievable. All samples for STM must be at least somewhat electrically conductive.

STM mode on the Cypher serves in part as a testbed for determining whether STM is a viable experimental technique for samples before investing effort into UHV STM measurements. Additionally, the ambient conditions on this instrument permit STM measurements of samples which may not respond well to vacuum environments. This STM can do imaging and I-V curves but is not currently able to perform dI/dV measurements.