STM and AFM instrumentation combined with transmission electron microscope

STM and AFM combined with a transmission electron microscope (TEM) are powe rful tools for direct investigation of structures, electronic properties, a nd interactions at the atomic and nanometer scale. Here, we report on three different designs of such TEM-SPM. In the first TEM-SPM design, a stepper motor performed the coarse approach. The advantage of this design was the s trong pulling force that enabled notched metallic wires to be broken inside the TEM, which lead to clean sample surfaces. In the second construction a clutch combined with a one-dimensional inertial slider was added. The thir d type, with a new type of three-dimensional inertial slider, allowed later al motion inside the TEM, which simplified the adjustment of tip location o n the sample. Some new experimental results are included to demonstrate the capabilities of the TEM-STM and TEM-AFM.