SCANNING FORCE MICROSCOPE WITH ATOMIC-RESOLUTION IN ULTRAHIGH-VACUUM AND AT LOW-TEMPERATURES

We present a new design of a scanning force microscope (SFM) for opera tion at low temperatures in an ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) system. The SFM features an all-fiber interferometer detection mechanism and can be us ed for contact as well as for noncontact measurements. Cooling is perf ormed in a UHV compatible liquid helium bath cryostat. The design allo ws in situ cantilever and sample exchange at room temperature; the sub sequent transport of the microscope into the cryostat is done by a spe cially designed transfer mechanism. Atomic resolution images acquired at various temperatures down to 10 K in contact as well as in nonconta ct mode are shown to demonstrate the performance of the microscope. (C ) 1998 American Institute of Physics.