Scanning Tunneling Microscopy
Scientists discovered a new method for confining electrons to
artificial structures at the nanometer lengthscale. Surface state
electrons on Cu(111) were confined to closed structures (corrals)
defined by barriers built from Fe adatoms. The barriers were assembled
by individually positioning Fe adatoms using the tip of a low
temperature scanning tunneling microscope (STM). A circular corral of
radius 71.3 Angstrom was constructed in this way out of 48 Fe adatoms.
This STM image shows the direct observation of standing-wave patterns
in the local density of states of the Cu(111) surface. These spatial
oscillations are quantum-mechanical interference patterns caused by
scattering of the two-dimensional electron gas off the Fe adatoms and
point defects.
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This STM image shows the direct observation of standing-wave patterns
in the local density of states of the Cu(111) surface. These spatial
oscillations are quantum-mechanical interference patterns caused by
scattering of the two-dimensional electron gas off the Fe adatoms and
point defects.