Scanning Tunneling Microscopy and Nanolithography on a Conducting Oxide, Rb 0.3 MoO 3

Abstract
The scanning tunneling microscope has been used to image and modify the surface of a conducting oxide (Rb 0.3 MoO 3 ) in ambient atmosphere. Individual octahedral MoO 6 units of the oxide can be imaged, and under certain conditions defects can be created in the surface that are stable in air. The ability to produce nanometer-sized structures on the surface of an oxide is demonstrated and discussed with reference to nanolithographic applications.