Main Focus
Lab Overview:
We are a local spectroscopy lab in MPI-FKF, spectroscopically investigating quantum materials at the atomic scale with high energy resolution, by using SPM (STM and AFM). We mainly study cleavable bulk samples, and thin film samples fabricated by either MBE or PLD.
Currently,
we have three fully UHV compatible SPM facilities, two home-built low-temperature
STM located in our precision building, and one Unisoku room
temperature STM/AFM located in the main building. In all facilities, we can do surface doping by alkali metals and dose gases.
The first home-built one features a 4K base temperature, 4 days liquid He re-top up time, and sub picometer vibration noise level. It is equipped with an electron beam heater, a field ion microscope, and a liquid He cooled cleave stage.
The second home-built one features a 1.2K base temperature, 9-3/3 T vector field, and 7 days liquid He re-top up time. It is equipped with a sputter gun, a liquid He cooled manipulator, an electron beam heater, and a liquid He cooled cleave stage. It will be updated to 400mK by a home built 3He cryostat.
The thin film samples are transferred either by a UHV suitcase, or by capping layers which can be removed by heating in UHV chamber.
The commercial SPM (Unisoku) features a fast sample throughput. It combines STM and q-plus AFM, and is operated at room temperature. It is UHV-coupled to the MBE chamber (Dr. Hiro Nakamura), and therefore allows us to check the thin film quality immediately after the growth, improving the sample throughout significantly.