Ultrafast time resolution in scanned probe microscopies

R. J. Hamers, David G. Cahill

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

The speed limitations conventionally encountered in scanning tunneling microscopy, scanning capacitance microscopy, and atomic force microscopy result from the external electronics and are not inherent to the techniques themselves. Ultrafast time resolution faster than the bandwidth of the measuring electronics can be achieved by combining these techniques with picosecond optical excitation and utilizing inherent nonlinearities in the physical system. We demonstrate this idea by directly measuring carrier relaxation times at the Si(111)-(7×7) surface on the nanosecond time scale via scanning capacitance microscopy measurements of the surface photovoltage.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)2031-2033
Number of pages3
JournalApplied Physics Letters
Volume57
Issue number19
DOIs
StatePublished - 1990
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Physics and Astronomy (miscellaneous)

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