scanning tunneling microscope

(noun)

An instrument for imaging surfaces at the atomic level.

Related Terms

Examples of scanning tunneling microscope in the following topics:

  • Quantum-Mechanical View of Atoms

    • Atoms in solid states (or, to be precise, their electron clouds) can be observed individually using special instruments such as the scanning tunneling microscope.

  • Specialty Microscopes and Contrast

    • There are many types of microscopes: optical microscopes, transmission electron microscopes, scanning electron microscopes and scanning probe microscopes.
    • One way to group microscopes is based on how the image is generated through the microscope.
    • Microscopes can also be classified based on whether they analyze the sample by scanning a point at a time (scanning electron microscopes), or by analyzing the entire sample at once (transmission electron microscopes).
    • Scanning Electron Microscopes: Referred to as SEM, these microscopes look at the surface of objects by scanning them with a fine electron beam .
    • Atomic Force Microscopy: The AFM is a scanning probe type of microscopy with very high resolution and is one of the foremost tools for imaging at the nanoscale.

  • Electron Microscopes

    • An electron microscope is a microscope that uses an electron beam to create an image of the target.
    • It has much higher magnification or resolving power than a normal light microscope.
    • Let's first review how a regular optical microscope works .
    • Electron microscopes are very useful as they are able to magnify objects to a much higher resolution.
    • Diagram of the basic components of an optical microscope and an electron microscope.

  • Enhancement of Microscopy

    • Microscopes are used to view objects that cannot be seen with the naked eye.
    • You have probably used an optical microscope in a high school science class.
    • Two kinds of electron microscopes are:
    • Transmission electron microscope (TEM): The TEM sends an electron beam through a thin slice of a specimen.
    • Scanning electron microscope (SEM): The SEM shows details on the surface of a specimen and produces a three-dimensional view by scanning the specimen. shows an SEM image of pollen.

  • Diffraction Revisited

    • Experiments are usually performed using a transmission electron microscope or a scanning electron microscope.
    • Typical electron diffraction pattern obtained in a transmission electron microscope with a parallel electron beam.