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Correction of drift and slope distortions in STM image and scanner calibration
Author(s) -
Yurov V. Yu.,
Klimov A. N.
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
surface and interface analysis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.52
H-Index - 90
eISSN - 1096-9918
pISSN - 0142-2421
DOI - 10.1002/sia.740220121
Subject(s) - scanner , calibration , surface (topology) , standard deviation , sample (material) , orthogonality , image (mathematics) , resolution (logic) , nanometrology , optics , geometry , physics , mathematics , computer science , computer vision , artificial intelligence , metrology , quantum mechanics , thermodynamics , statistics
STM is a powerful tool for nanotechnology. But it is difficult to carry out correct measurements of distances and angles on the surface via STM image which is often distorted. Drift, slope of sample and indeterminate parameters of piezoscanner are considered as the origin of the STM image distortions. A special algorithm of STM scanning and correction of image of unknown atomic structures is suggested and tested. This algorithm makes it possible to measure three components of the drift velocity and two angles, characterizing the average slope of scanning surface. First, by using this algorithm, the STM calibration can be performed by a known surface structure (for example HOPG) even in the presence of drift. This enables determination of all the three piezoceramics constants of the STM piezoscanner and the deviation of the real scanner axes X and Y from orthogonality. Second, using such calibrated STM and the described algorithm, it is possible to obtain the real STM image and make measurements for unknown surfaces with atomic resolution without the distortions mentioned above. As have been proved, the error of interatomic distance measurements does not exceed 5% (or 0.1 Å) for any direction along the surface, even in the presence of a drift up to 0.4 Å s −1 and the sample slope angle up to 10º.