A simple, reliable method for preparation of bulk Cr tips for Scanning Tunneling Microscopy (STM) is proposed and its potentialities in performing high-quality and high-resolution STM and Spin Polarized-STM (SP-STM) are investigated. Cr tips show atomic resolution on ordered surfaces. Contrary to what happens with conventional W tips, rest atoms of the Si(111)-7x7 reconstruction can be routinely observed, probably due to a different electronic structure of the tip apex. SP-STM measurements of the Cr(001) surface showing magnetic contrast are reported. Our results reveal that the peculiar properties of these tips can be suited in a number of STM experimental situations.
@article{arxiv.0709.2615,
title = {Bulk Cr tips for scanning tunneling microscopy and spin-polarized scanning tunneling microscopy},
author = {A. Li Bassi and C. S. Casari and D. Cattaneo and F. Donati and S. Foglio and M. Passoni and C. E. Bottani and P. Biagioni and A. Brambilla and M. Finazzi and F. Ciccacci and L. Duo'},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:0709.2615},
year = {2007}
}