X-RAY EXCITED CURRENT DETECTED WITH SCANNING TUNNELING MICROSCOPE EQUIPMENT

We have used a commercial scanning tunneling microscope to detect the electrons emitted from the sample's surface under the X-ray irradiation condition for the first time. The tip current is detected only under the X-ray irradiation condition and is amplified in air. Thus, we believe that the origin of this current is the electrons emitted from the film surface due to the photoelectric effect, and the current which is amplified by ionization of the molecules in air by the emitted electrons is detected. The dependences of the detected signal on sample voltage, intensity of X-rays and tip sample distance were investigated.