Measurement of electronegativity of individual atoms using atomic force microscopy

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15H03566
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Thin film/Surface and interfacial physical properties
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: Sugimoto Yoshiaki 東京大学, 大学院新領域創成科学研究科, 准教授 (00432518)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 原子間力顕微鏡

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Non-contact atomic force microscopy (AFM) is one of the most powerful imaging techniques. Using AFM, one can measure individual atomic forces between the tip apex atoms and surface atoms. This unique technique allows us to verify the nature of the chemical bond established by Pauling along with the progress of quantum chemistry. Understanding the individual chemical bonds can be applied to atomic level surface analysis such as chemical identification and characterization of single atoms on various surfaces.
We characterize individual chemical bonding force/energy by site-specific force spectroscopy. Various surface atoms with dangling bonds were prepared on the Si(111)-(7x7) surfaces. Dependence of the covalent bonding force/energy on different chemical species was systematically obtained. We also successfully characterized the polar bond. This polar bonding energy between two atoms with different electronegativity can be explained by Pauling’s model.

Free Research Field

走査プローブ顕微鏡