Recent measurements of dc current-voltage characteristics of Scanning Tunneling Microscope junctions have confirmed their expected high rectification property. We have exploited this property to study rectification at infrared frequencies. A laser beam of linearly polarized light is focused on an STM junction and the resulting dc bias induced across the junction by the alternating, asymmetrical tunnel current is detected. Results have been obtained that exhibit rectification for W-Si, W-Ni, and W-Au STM junctions. Theoretical calculations of the rectification ratio and I(V) curves using a hyperboloidal-tip-planar-base model of the STM junction show good agreement with W-Au experimental results.
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Cutler et al. (1987) studied this question.