Materials Characterization by Scanned Probe Analysis

Abstract

The STM (see list of acronyms at end of book) was invented by Binnig et al. in 1982 [1]. The two main protagonists, G. Binnig and H. Röhrer, were subsequently awarded the Nobel Prize for physics. Thus began the age of SPM. Much of the early development and excitement generated by the unequivocal demonstration of spatial resolution on the scale of the single atom and of local spectroscopies have been described in the literature [2–4]. The rationale for including a chapter on SPM in a book on surface analysis can be inferred from Fig. 10.1 (adapted from Röhrer [5]). The impact of SPM in the broad field of surface and interface science and technology can be illustrated by its prominence at a conference in Birmingham in September 1998, which brought together a representative cross-section of the international surface science community through the 14th International Vacuum Congress, 10th International Conference on Solid Surfaces, 5th International Conference on Nanometer-scale Science and Technology and 10th International Coference on Quantitative Surface Analysis. Of some 1350 invited and contributed papers approximately 20% were based substantially on SPM techniques and methodologies, while the corresponding indices for the ‘traditional’ techniques and ‘other’ were 34% and 46%, respectively.