Local secondary-electron emission spectra via scanning probe energy loss spectroscopy

Electron energy spectroscopic mapping of surface plasmon by parallel scanning method

In this work, electron energy spectroscopic mapping of surface plasmon of Ag nanostructures on highly oriented pyrolytic graphite is reported. Benefitting from the angular dispersive feature of the present scanning probe electron energy spectrometer, a multi-channel detection mode is developed. By scanning along one direction, the two-dimensional intensity distribution of Ag surface plasmon excitation due to the collision of electron emitted from the tip can be obtained in parallel. The spectroscopic spatial resolution is determined to be around 80 nm.

Nonlinear inelastic electron scattering from Au nanostructures induced by localized surface plasmon resonance

Nonlinear electron scattering is a recently-discovered physical process observed during the localized plasmonic excitation of Ag nanostructures on graphite surface. In the present work, nonlinear electron scattering phenomena is experimentally verified on Au nanostructures by measuring inelastic scattering of electrons field-emitted from tungsten tip. The relative intensity of the electron-energy-loss peak associated with the plasmonic excitation of Au shows again to increase nonlinearly with the electric field generated by the tip-sample bias, demonstrating the generality of nonlinear electron scattering process in plasmonic system. Compared to the nonlinear electron scattering phenomena observed on Ag nanostructures, the nonlinear term for Au nanostructures is about 1 to 2 orders of magnitude smaller, which is in consistent with the field enhancement factor of Au and Ag nanostructures from both the surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy experiments and the theoretical calculations.

Note: Microelectrode-shielding tip for scanning probe electron energy spectroscopy

We report a novel microelectrode-shielding tip (ME tip) for scanning probe electron energy spectroscopy (SPEES). The shielding effect of this tip is studied through comparing the detection efficiency with the normal tip by both experiment and simulation. The results show that the backscattering count rate detected by the SPEES instrument using the normal tip begins to decrease as the tip approaches to the sample surface within 21 μm, while that using the ME tip only starts to drop off within 1 μm. This indicates that the electron energy spectra can be measured with the ME tip at a much closer tip-sample distance. Furthermore, it is also demonstrated that the ME tip can be used to obtain topography of the sample surface in situ simultaneously.

A proximal retarding field analyzer for scanning probe energy loss spectroscopy

A compact proximal retarding field analyzer for scanning probe energy loss spectroscopy measurements is described. Using the scanning tunneling microscope (STM) tip as a field emission (FE) electron source in conjunction with this analyzer, which is placed at a glancing angle to the surface plane, FE sample current and electron reflectivity imaging may be performed simultaneously. This is demonstrated in measurements of Ag nanostructures prepared on graphite by electron-beam lithography, where a material contrast of 13% is observed, with a lateral resolution of 25 nm, between the silver and graphite in electron reflectivity images. Topological contrast mechanisms such as edge enhancement and shadowing are also observed, giving rise to additional features in the electron reflectivity images. The same instrument configuration has been used to measure electron energy loss spectra on bare graphite, where the zero loss peak, π band plasmon loss peak and secondary electron peaks are observed. Using this simple and compact analyzer an STM, with sufficient open access to the tip-sample junction, may easily be augmented to provide simultaneous elemental and topographic mapping, supplementing STM image measurements with FE sample current and electron reflectivity images, as well as electron energy loss spectroscopy measurements, in the same instrument.

Fabrication of co-axial field emitter tips for scanning probe energy loss spectroscopy

We report on the fabrication of a co-axial tip for application to scanning probe energy loss spectroscopy (SPELS). The device consists of a 23.3 microm tall tip on a 76 microm tall mesa with a multilayer Si/Au/HfO(2)/Au structure; the outer Au and HfO(2) layers are stripped from the apex of the tip. The inner Au layer is used as a field emitting layer and the outer Au layer is grounded to screen the electric field between the tip and the substrate. The co-axial tip shows comparable field emission characteristics to electrochemically etched tungsten tips. The SPELS spectra of graphite obtained with the new tips show pi and sigma plasmon peaks and intense secondary electron emission peaks. It is anticipated that such co-axial tips will present a significant advantage for future angular resolved SPELS measurements.

Local secondary-electron emission spectra of graphite and gold surfaces obtained using the Scanning Probe Energy Loss Spectrometer (SPELS)

Secondary-electron emission (SEE) spectra have been obtained with the Scanning Probe Energy Loss Spectrometer at a tip-sample distance of only 50 nm. Such short working distances are required for the best theoretical spatial resolution (<10 nm). The SEE spectra of graphite, obtained as a function of tip bias voltage, are shown to correspond to unoccupied states in the electronic band structure. The SEE spectra of thin gold films demonstrate the capability of identifying (carbonaceous) surface contamination with this technique.

Spatially resolved scanning probe electron energy spectroscopy for Ag islands on a graphite surface

The scanning probe electron energy spectra for micron-sized Ag islands on highly ordered pyrolytic graphite substrate are measured. One- and two-dimensional relative intensity distributions for Ag or graphite plasmon peaks have been acquired and a lateral resolution of 4.8+/-2.4 microm has been achieved. It is the first time for the scanning probe electron energy spectroscopy technique to obtain the spatially resolved electron energy spectra with elemental contrast for a surface, which demonstrates the possibility of the element identification for the scanning tunneling microscope.