Atomic-Resolution Microscopy in Water

The scanning tunneling microscope is revolutionizing the study of surfaces. In ultrahigh vacuum it is capable not only of imaging individual atoms but also of determining energy states on an atom-by-atom basis. It is now possible to operate this instrument in water. Aqueous optical microscopy is con...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science) 1986-04, Vol.232 (4747), p.211-213
Main Authors: Sonnenfeld, Richard, Hansma, Paul K.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Electric current
Electric potential
Graphite
Imaging
Josephson effect
Methods
Micrometers
Microscope and microscopy
Microscopes
Microscopy
Scanning electron microscopes
Technology
Travel
Tunneling spectroscopy
Water
Water immersion
X-ray microscope
X-ray microscopes
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Summary:The scanning tunneling microscope is revolutionizing the study of surfaces. In ultrahigh vacuum it is capable not only of imaging individual atoms but also of determining energy states on an atom-by-atom basis. It is now possible to operate this instrument in water. Aqueous optical microscopy is confined to a lateral resolution limit of about 2000 angstroms, and aqueous x-ray microscopy has yielded a lateral resolution of 75 angstroms. With a scanning tunneling microscope, an image of a graphite surface immersed in deionized water was obtained with features less than 3 angstroms apart clearly resolved. Further, an image measured in saline solution demonstrated that the instrument can be operated under conditions useful for many biological samples.
ISSN:0036-8075
1095-9203
DOI:10.1126/science.232.4747.211