Tunnel Conductance Measurements of Nano-regions Performed in Transmission Electron Microscopes

Masashi Arita, Kouichi Hamada, Ryusuke Hirose, Youhei Okubo and Yasuo Takahashi

Abstract: By using nano-probes attached on a custom made TEM holder with a piezo actuator (TEM-STM holder), narrow current paths composed of several to several tens of nano-particles were selected. The tunnel conductance of the nano-particle system was measured inside a TEM during image observation. The characteristic features of single electron tunneling were recognized at room temperature. The in-situ TEM-STM method is useful for conduction measurements of nano-regions.

Key words: transmission electron microscopy, in-situ conduction measurement, TEM-STM holder, nano particle, single electron tunneling