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Photoconductive imaging in a photon scanning tunnelling microscope capable of point‐contact current sensing using a conductive fibre probe
Author(s) -
Iwata F.,
Someya D.,
Sakaguchi H.,
Igasaki Y.,
Kitao M.,
Kubo T.,
Sasaki A.
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
journal of microscopy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.569
H-Index - 111
eISSN - 1365-2818
pISSN - 0022-2720
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2818.2001.00883.x
Subject(s) - photoconductivity , photocurrent , materials science , optoelectronics , microscope , indium tin oxide , optics , thin film , nanotechnology , physics
A photoconductive photon scanning tunnelling microscope was developed to investigate the point‐contact photoconductive properties of condensed matter. In order to detect the current and the optical signal at a local point on a surface, we coated the edge of a bent type fibre probe with indium tin oxide. Thus it was possible to measure both photocurrent and optical property with subwavelength resolution. The performance of the novel microscope was evaluated by analysing an organic thin film of copper phthalocyanine (CuPc), which is known to be an efficient photoconductive material. Photocurrent and current–voltage characteristics were observed at the local point on the CuPc thin films. Furthermore, photoconductive images were obtained with topography and near‐field optical imaging using this system. The photoconductive PSTM shows potential in various areas of future optics and electronics.