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US 7,737,414 B2Granted
Atomically sharp iridium tip
AssigneeAcademia Sinica
InventorsHong-Shi Kuo, Ing-Shouh Hwang, Tien T. Tsong, Tsu-Yi Fu
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for preparing an iridium tip with atomic sharpness. The method includes tapering an iridium wire to a needle shape and heating the iridium needle in an oxygen atmosphere. Also disclosed is an iridium needle having a pyramidal structure which terminates with a small number of atoms prepared by the methods.
Claims25
A method of making an atomically sharp iridium tip, the method comprising:
- tapering an end of a single-crystalline <210> or polycrystalline iridium rod;
- and
- heating the rod in a chamber that contains oxygen so that a three-sided pyramidal structure is formed on the tapered end, wherein the pyramidal structure has an atomically sharp iridium tip.
An iridium needle comprising:
- a tapered end having a surface, the surface being a {210} iridium crystal plane, and
- a three-sided pyramidal structure arranged on the surface, wherein the pyramidal structure has a tip away from the surface and the tip is formed of a small number of iridium atoms.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.