Integrated nanofabrication with the scanning electron microscope and scanning tunneling microscope

The combination of electron beam lithography using the scanning electron microscope (SEM) and direct nanofabrication with the scanning tunneling microscope (STM) has been used to fabricate a nanometer size link between two prefabricated nanometer size wires. The wires were fabricated by electron beam lithography using a high resolution SEM. This sample was then transferred to a combined SEM and STM instrument which is used to locate the wires, position them beneath the STM tip, and fabricate the link using the technique of tip bias pulsing with the STM.