Scanning Tunneling Microscopy: A Review

Abstract

The study of surfaces and manipulation of materials of nanometric size is a method widely used in different areas of research. The scanning tunneling microscope (STM) is a valuable instrument that allows working on these two aspects with elements of scientific interest. This article tries to explain the principles and applications of the STM based on attractions and repulsions of atoms at very small distances to collect information, which once processed and analyzed is converted into images visible to the human eye. The review was carried out through the search and analytical reading of scientific papers and publications such as Google Scholar, Scopus, Scielo, Redalyc and Doaj. The contextualization of quantum tunneling was established focused on the importance, applicability and development of the STM which has allowed the new advances developed throughout the 21st century.