Noble Metal/W(111) Single-Atom Tips and Their Field Electron and Ion Emission Characteristics

We have developed a simple, reliable and reproducible method for preparing single-atom tips. With electrochemical techniques, a very small amount of a noble metal is plated on the surface of a clean W tip. Upon annealing the tip at an appropriate temperature in vacuum, a three-sided {211} pyramid with a single-atom sharpness is formed spontaneously at the tip apex by adsorbate-induced faceting. This tip is both thermally and chemically stable, and can be regenerated several ten times when accidentally damaged. We use a field ion microscope to examine the atomic structure of the tip apex layer by layer and characterize the corresponding electron emission in the field emission mode. Some properties of Ne+ ions emitted from a single-atom tip are also measured, indicating a high brightness and a small extension angle. Many desirable features make the single-atom tips very promising for future particle beam applications in nanoscience and nanotechnology.