Field evaporation of silicon in the field ion microscope and scanning tunneling microscope configurations

Field evaporation of silicon as positive and negative ions in the field ion microscope and scanning tunneling microscope configurations is investigated with the charge-exchange model using atomic potentials from an empirical potential due to Tersoff [Phys. Rev. B 37, 6991 (1988)] and an environment dependent potential developed by Bolding and Andersen [Phys. Rev. B 41, 10 568 (1990)]. For the geometry of the field ion microscope, Si⁺ should be the observable ion species. In the close-spaced electrode geometry of the scanning tunneling microscope, Si^2- should be the favored ion species since it requires the lowest evaporation field.