Making Mn substitutional impurities in InAs using a scanning tunneling microscope

Nano Lett. 2009 Dec;9(12):4333-7. doi: 10.1021/nl902575g.

Abstract

We describe in detail an atom-by-atom exchange manipulation technique using a scanning tunneling microscope probe. As-deposited Mn adatoms (Mn(ad)) are exchanged one-by-one with surface In atoms (In(su)) to create a Mn surface-substitutional (Mn(In)) and an exchanged In adatom (In(ad)) by an electron tunneling induced reaction Mn(ad) + In(su) --> Mn(In) + In(ad) on the InAs(110) surface. In combination with density-functional theory and high resolution scanning tunneling microscopy imaging, we have identified the reaction pathway for the Mn and In atom exchange.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Arsenicals / chemistry*
  • Crystallization / methods*
  • Indium / chemistry*
  • Macromolecular Substances / chemistry
  • Manganese / chemistry*
  • Materials Testing
  • Micromanipulation / methods*
  • Microscopy, Scanning Tunneling / methods*
  • Molecular Conformation
  • Nanostructures / chemistry*
  • Nanostructures / ultrastructure*
  • Nanotechnology / methods
  • Particle Size
  • Surface Properties

Substances

  • Arsenicals
  • Macromolecular Substances
  • Indium
  • Manganese
  • indium arsenide