TEAM

SCANNING TUNNELING MICROSCOPE

The students working on the scanning tunneling microscope (STM) conduct market and design research in order to construct and market their own low-cost STM. Along with the STM, associated materials are being developed for education and outreach. High schools are the major focus as the STM students would like to build and supply them with affordable STM systems which can produce atomic-resolution images. The first prototype STM is being built for experimentation, and many more will follow. Hopes are to have research published. People who join this project can gain experience working in interdisciplinary teams, building circuits and printed circuit boards, writing and performing experiments from the ground up, machine and assemble mechanical design, and have fun applying everything you know learning new concepts along the way.

The team has recently began research into the electrochemical etching of STM tips. Made from a variety of materials, these tips have superior noise characteristics to pulled tips as well etched tips have an increased resolution capability. Research is as well being done in the quantum tunneling properties of these tips.