Fabrication and characterization of single crystal semiconductive diamond tip for combined scanning tunneling microscopy

• Published in: Diamond and related materials 2008-07, Vol.17 (7), p.1316-1319
• Main Authors: Lysenko, O., Novikov, N., Grushko, V., Shcherbakov, A., Katrusha, A., Ivakhnenko, S., Tkach, V., Gontar, A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Exact sciences and technology; Fullerenes and related materials; diamonds, graphite; Materials science; Mechanical and acoustical properties; Nanoindentation; Nanoscale materials and structures: fabrication and characterization; Other topics in nanoscale materials and structures; Physical properties of thin films, nonelectronic; Physics; Scanning tunneling microscopy; Semiconductive diamond tip; Specific materials; Structure and morphology; thickness; Surfaces and interfaces; thin films and whiskers (structure and nonelectronic properties); Thin film structure and morphology
• ISSN: 0925-9635; 1879-0062
• DOI: 10.1016/j.diamond.2008.02.013

Boron-doped type IIb diamond single crystal synthesized by the temperature gradient method under high pressure–high temperature (HPHT) conditions is proposed as a material for the tip of scanning nanoindentation–scanning tunneling microscopy (SN-STM) technique. Sequence of the procedures covering growing crystals with predetermined physical properties, selection of the synthesized crystals with the desired habit and their precise shaping in the form of Berkovich pyramid have been developed. Results of experimental studies demonstrated fabricated tip's ability to conduct combined nanoscale characterization of surface using indentation and scanning with the same tip.