Feasibility studies on a nanometric oscillator fabricated by surface diffusion for use as a force detector in scanning force microscopy

A metal bail supported by a nanometric filiform neck, made by surface diffu sion-in vacuum, has the potential to be used as an oscillating force detect or in scanning force microscopy. Although in most cases, the oscillator is extremely fragile and does not survive the transport from one vacuum chambe r to the other, there still remains the possibility that it can be used if fabricated and utilized in situ. With the aim of characterizing the oscilla tor without breaking the vacuum, we have made a scanning tunneling/force mi croscope(STM, SFM) with a heating filament for fabrication of the oscillato r in a scanning electron microscope (SEM). The formation of the oscillator was observed with the SEM, and then, the tip of the STM/SFM was used for th e application of force to verify ifs feasibility as an oscillator.