Design and three dimensional calibration of a measuring scanning tunneling microscope for metrological applications

Abstract

A scanning-tunneling microscope (STM) of the scanning-sample type with transducers for the measurement of the position in all three axes has been developed. Motions in the X-, Y-, and Z-axis are straight and rectangular to a high degree and the capacitance transducers are calibrated in situ by plane mirror laser-interferometry. With these qualities as part of the design, the Abbe error may be minimized. X-Y-capacitance transducers and X-Y-piezo actuators are part of analog servo loops, thus providing positioning in the X-Y-plane to a desired coordinate. The STM is mainly built from commercially available parts.