SURFACE MODIFICATION DURING SCANNING TUNNELING MICROSCOPE MEASUREMENTS ON YBA2CU3O7 THIN-FILMS

During scanning tunneling microscopy measurements on YBa2Cu 3O7 thin films with positive sample bias voltages, different kinds of surface modifications appear. While in the topography condition no surface modification occurs, the cleaning and etching conditions irreversibly change the surface topography. In the deformation condition a strong elastic deformation of the tip and/or the surface is observed. It is shown that field evaporation of material from the surface to the tip is responsible for the observed surface modification. In consequence, the tip is contaminated with different oxides. Localized states in the oxides make resonant tunneling of electrons through the oxide layer possible. The configuration of these localized states determines the kind of surface modification by the scanning tunneling microscope. © 1994 American Institute of Physics.