We have designed and upgraded a scanning probe microscope (SPM) to allocate the required internal optical setup required to perform atomic-scale spectromicroscopy. This system is the first operational SPM-TERS in Spain capable of working under cryogenic and ultra-high vacuum (UHV) conditions with nanometre resolution. Unlike previous versions that rely on costly parabolic mirrors and piezo-motorized components, our design utilizes affordable metal 3D printing with UHV-compatible stainless steel and an inexpensive plastic lens. This enhanced setup efficiently captures electroluminescence (EL), Raman, and TERS spectra using plasmonic probes, such as silver and gold tips, on various surfaces. Importantly, the availability of the design by open licenses enables other research groups to easily implement this upgrade, expanding the potential of widely accessible SPM platforms for advanced research in surface chemistry, catalysis, and molecular electronics.
You can find the work published in:
Upgrade of a variable temperature STM for nanometre-scale spectromicroscopy. B. Cirera*, D. Saéz, D. Arribas, J. Méndez, A. Sagwal, R. Ferreira, M. Švec and P. Merino*, Methods X, 2025, 103156. Link