Development of Low Temperature Scanning Gate Microscope

Two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) and semiconductor nanowire systems are of interest as they are attractive candidates for nanoelectronics, spintronics and quantum information processing. A capacitively coupled scanning probe microscope (SPM) tip can be used to study the motion of electrons in these systems by imaging electron flow through a 2DEG [1] and tuning the charge of a nanowire quantum dot [2]. In this talk we will outline the key design aspects of the third generation SPM built in the Westervelt lab to measure conductance of nanometer scale electronic devices. This microscope will have the ability to measure devices at approximately 500 mK in a 7 T magnetic field. An innovative approach to low temperature coarse positioning has been incorporated into the system. \\[4pt] [1] M. A. Topinka, et al., \textit{Nature} 410, 183-186 (2001). \\[0pt] [2] A. C. Bleszynski, et al., \textit{Nano Letters} 7, 2559-2562 (2007).