The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has developed the world’s most advanced ultra-low temperature scanning probe microscope (ULTSPM). This groundbreaking device operates at lower temperatures and higher magnetic fields than any other similar microscope, allowing it to resolve energy levels separated by as small as 1 millionth of an electron volt.
The ULTSPM’s extraordinary capabilities are the result of overcoming numerous technical challenges. The team designed piezoelectric actuators that expand with atomic scale precision when voltage is applied, solving issues with past designs that used mechanical systems. To achieve the ULTSPM’s ultra-low operating temperature of 10 millikelvins, researchers built a low noise dilution refrigerator to supplement the device’s chilly 3-meter deep, 250-liter liquid helium bath.
The microscope is housed in a separate, electromagnetically shielded room to prevent electromagnetic radiation from heating up the device. A vacuum-sealed “railroad” system allows experimenters to prepare new samples and probes without disturbing ongoing measurements.
The ULTSPM has already enabled the discovery of new physics, as seen in the paper “Puzzling New Physics from Graphene Quartet’s Quantum Harmonies.” The device’s extraordinary resolution has led to a deeper understanding of the fundamental laws of physics at the atomic level.
This achievement represents a significant milestone in the development of ultra-low temperature scanning probe microscopy and is expected to have a major impact on the field of nanoscale physics.
Source: https://www.nist.gov/news-events/news/2010/12/nists-new-scanning-probe-microscope-supercool
Keywords: Scanning Probe Microscopy, Ultra-Low Temperature, Nanoscale Physics, Superconductivity, Quantum Harmonies
