Using gallium nitride nanowires as STM probes

Abstract: Gallium nitride (GaN) nanowires grown using catalyst-free metal organic vapor phase epitaxy were used as scanning tunneling microscope (STM) probes. The probes were prepared by placing a GaN nanowire on a tungsten STM probe using a nanomanipulator in a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and welding them together using an electron beam induced platinum deposition. STM imaging was performed on indium arsenide (InAs) (111)B samples and atomic steps were observed. Furthermore, (I-V) scanning tunneling spectroscopy was performed which consistently showed combined band gaps of both GaN and InAs semiconductors.