Scanning tunneling microscope measurement of insulator surfaces

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Abstract
The possibility of measuring insulator surfaces with a scanning tunneling microscope (STM) is demonstrated. The mechanism is attributed to the conduction caused by electron beam assisted carrier generation in the insulator. A scanning electron microscope is used as the electron source. A 10-nm-thick and 100-nm-wide line-and-space patterned silicon dioxide layer formed on silicon substrate is observed by the STM only when an electron beam is directed at the sample. Tunneling spectroscopy results indicate a band gap of about 5 eV, which is attributed to that of silicon dioxide of about 8 eV.