Fabrication of four-probe fine electrodes on an atomically smooth Si(100)-2 × 1-H surface

Four-probe fine electrodes were fabricated on a Si(100)-2 × 1-H surface using conventional lithographic and scanning-probe nano-fabrication techniques followed by standard cleaning and hydrogenation processes of the surface. It was confirmed by scanning tunnelling microscopy that a Si(100)-2 × 1-H surface is formed in the area except for the fine electrodes. Tunnelling spectroscopy of the electrode surface and electrical conduction measurements of nanoscale wires were performed for evaluating the fabricated electrodes. The results showed that the fabricated fine electrodes are capable of measuring the electrical properties of nanoscale surface objects.