Scanning tunneling microscope with continuous flow cryostat sample cooling

We have constructed an ultrahigh vacuum scanning tunneling microscope (STM) for operation in the temperature range 20–300 K. The design consists of a vibration isolated sample holder mounted on a continuous flow cryostat. By rotation and linear motion of the cryostat, the sample can be positioned in front of various surface preparation and analysis instruments contained in a single vacuum chamber. A lightweight beetle-type STM head is lowered from the top onto the sample by a linear manipulator. To minimize helium convection in the cryostat, the entire vacuum system, including a liquid helium storage Dewar, can be tilted by a few degrees perpendicular to the cryostat axis, which improves the operation. The performance of the instrument is demonstrated by atomically resolved images of the Pd(111) surface and adsorbed CO molecules.