Atomic Resolution of Nanometer Scale Plastic Surface Deformations by Scanning Tunnelling Microscopy

A novel approach to produce stable nanometer scale structures is presented which is based on the plastic deformation of a dichalcogenide surface (WSe 2 ) with the tip of a scanning tunnelling microscope (STM). On this polar semiconducting layered material, stable surface indentations about 3 nm wide were obtained in air and under high-vacuum conditions. The structures were stable at room temperature at least over the observation period of about one day and could be atomically resolved with the STM. The indentation process did not alter the atomic order of the deformed areas parallel to the surface.