Cryogenic variable temperature ultrahigh vacuum scanning tunneling microscope

Abstract

A cryogenic variable temperature ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) scanning tunneling microscope (STM) has been developed. This design utilizes a novel vibration isolation that provides an active thermal link to the cooling source without the standard tradeoff of compromising mechanical isolation. A welded bellows serves as the basis for the vibration isolation system. This bellows houses a heat exchanger which uses helium gas to form a thermal link between the STM and the cryogenic. This STM is fully integrated into a multichamber UHV STM system now in place in our laboratory and atomic resolution operation is demonstrated from 11 to 300 K.