Nano and Pico Characterization Laboratory

An unprecedented collection of instrumentation for surface analysis at the nanoscale and beyond.

Room Temperature UHV Scanning Probe Microscope

The room temperature, ultra high vacuum (RT-UHV) scanning probe microscope (SPM) is a custom-built system designed and fabricated here at the NPC Lab. The system currently operates in either STM mode or in a combined STM/non-contact AFM setup. The microscope has an integrated load-lock system, preparative chamber, molecular evaporator, quartz crystal microbalance, substrate heater, and tip/sample ion sputter sources. Access to this instrument typically involves a collaborative research arrangement with the NPC Lab.

Sub-molecular resolution image of a hexa-tert-butyl decacyclene (HB-DC) monolayer deposited on atomically clean Cu(100) acquired with custom (in-house) built UHV STM at room temperature.