NANOSTRUCTURES AS TEST TOOLS IN THE SCANN ING-TUNNELING-MICROSCOPY

In this paper we show the possibility to characterize the apex of meta llic tips used for scanning tunneling microscopes by a nanometer large structure of a silicon surface. Further, first results of a theoretic al calculation will give an impression of the influence of the tip sha pe on a measured profile. By such a calculation it is possible to dete rmine some dependencies between sample structure, tip shape and distan ce. This will allow to decide which kind of structure is useful for th e determination of tip shape parameters. On the other side the applica tion of a scanning tunneling microscope as tool for creating hills (8 nm diameter) and lines (6 nm wide) on nanometer scale will be shown. T his is one method which allows the linkage of such structures to an at omic lattice of a crystalline substrate.