Some Hints for Obtaining Good Images at Atomic Scale

It is quite easy to get surface scans with large scan ranges. However, achieving atomic scale is more demanding. Here are some hints that should help you:

• It is essential to apply short scanning times to minimize thermal drift effects (set time/line to a minimum value).
• The Rotation parameter needs to be optimized. Take some images at different values and use the one with the best resolution.
• Bright light and movement near the STM setup interfere with the measurement. Avoid abrupt movements and walking around in the room.
• If a measurement looks good, wait a few minutes to obtain stable images.