Fabrication of nano-structure by STM tip induced atomic diffusion

By a scanning tunneling microscope (STM), atomic diffusion on the Au(111) surface was observed at the local area where a voltage pulse applied. The applied voltage pulse played a role as a trigger for atomic diffusion, which was induced by a tip-sample interaction during scanning. The direction of atomic diffusion was highly dependent on the scan direction. In the STM configuration, the tip-induced local atomic diffusion would be explained by the electric field effect for ions or polarized atoms between a tip and a sample surface.