A scanning tunneling microscope based on a motorized micrometer

A scanning tunneling microscope (STM) that uses a motorized micrometer to provide for coarse mechanical motion of the specimen relative to the tunneling tip is described. The specimen is attached directly to the micrometer spindle. No additional motion reduction mechanisms, such as levers, are necessary. After positioning the tip optically about 0.2–0.3 mm from the specimen, tunneling current is established automatically under the control of the system computer by a sequence of mechanical motions of the micrometer combined with extensions of a tubular piezoelectric scanner. Tunneling current is typically acquired in 10–15 min.