Scanning Tunneling Microsopy Basics Transmission coefficient critically dependent on the distance btw. tip & surf. Electron energy level densities Electron flow A bias voltage needs to be applied:
V bias is necessary to raise the Fermi level and create free levels for the electrons. Tunneling probability depends on the existence (and density) of free levels. V bias is positive or negative with reference to the tip’s Fermi level.
Basics of tunneling
Atomic Force Microsopy -