SPM Laboratory - Scanning Probe Microscopy and Spectroscopy Laboratory

MAX IV Laboratory

The SPM lab provides the possibility for microscopy studies of solid conductive/semiconducting samples with atomic resolution. Ultimately, it shows the atomic arrangement of the surfaces. It also allows for performing scanning tunneling spectroscopy (STS), with access to the top of the valence band/bottom of the conductance band of a solid. Nowadays, STM is mostly a complementary characterization technique for studies relying on other (spectroscopy, diffraction, imaging) methods, but STM/STS can be successfully used as a standalone research tool, too. Infrastructure available at SPM lab at MAX IV only permits studying solid samples compatible with ultra-high vacuum conditions, i.e. no liquid environment. After a recent upgrade, the microscope can carry a QPlus tuning fork sensor for Atomic Force Microscopy measurements, which allows atomically-precise characterization of insulating samples, too. The lab uses standardized sampleplates, similar to flag-type sample-plates from Omicron, which are compatible to the majority of the beamlines in 1.5 GeV ring. A portable vacuum chamber is available, which allows for transferring the samples between the chambers without breaking UHV conditions.

In-situ samples preparation:
• Base pressure 5E-11 mbar
• Ar+-sputtering
• In situ annealing (1200 C) and cooling (-150 C) with direct temperature control
• CVD or direct evaporation of materials on substrates
• Quartz microbalance
• Low-energy electron spectrometer (LEED)

Mass-spectrometer (together with in situ cooling and annealing allows for rudimentary temperature programmed desorption [TPD] studies)

Long-distance optical microscope on the STM main chamber, allows for placing the tunneling microscope on the area of interest with micrometer precision – crucial for studies of mesostructured samples/microdevices/etc

under decision