Excited-state spectroscopy on an individual quantum dot using atomic force microscopy.

We present a new charge sensing technique for the excited-state spectroscopy of individual quantum dots, which requires no patterned electrodes. An oscillating atomic force microscope cantilever is used as a movable charge sensor as well as gate to measure the single-electron tunneling between an individual self-assembled InAs quantum dot and back electrode. A set of cantilever dissipation versus bias voltage curves measured at different cantilever oscillation amplitudes forms a diagram analogous to the Coulomb diamond usually measured with transport measurements. The excited-state levels as well as the electron addition spectrum can be obtained from the diagram. In addition, a signature which can result from inelastic tunneling by phonon emission or a peak in the density of states of the electrode is also observed, which demonstrates the versatility of the technique.

Energy levels of few-electron quantum dots imaged and characterized by atomic force microscopy.

Strong confinement of charges in few-electron systems such as in atoms, molecules, and quantum dots leads to a spectrum of discrete energy levels often shared by several degenerate states. Because the electronic structure is key to understanding their chemical properties, methods that probe these energy levels in situ are important. We show how electrostatic force detection using atomic force microscopy reveals the electronic structure of individual and coupled self-assembled quantum dots. An electron addition spectrum results from a change in cantilever resonance frequency and dissipation when an electron tunnels on/off a dot. The spectra show clear level degeneracies in isolated quantum dots, supported by the quantitative measurement of predicted temperature-dependent shifts of Coulomb blockade peaks. Scanning the surface shows that several quantum dots may reside on what topographically appears to be just one. Relative coupling strengths can be estimated from these images of grouped coupled dots.

Strong electromechanical coupling of an atomic force microscope cantilever to a quantum dot.

We present theoretical and experimental results on the mechanical damping of an atomic force microscope cantilever strongly coupled to a self-assembled InAs quantum dot. When the cantilever oscillation amplitude is large, its motion dominates the charge dynamics of the dot which in turn leads to nonlinear, amplitude-dependent damping of the cantilever. We observe highly asymmetric line shapes of Coulomb blockade peaks in the damping that reflect the degeneracy of energy levels on the dot. Furthermore, we predict that excited state spectroscopy is possible by studying the damping versus oscillation amplitude, in analogy with varying the amplitude of an ac gate voltage.

High-aspect ratio metal tips attached to atomic force microscopy cantilevers with controlled angle, length, and radius for electrostatic force microscopy.

We demonstrate a method to fabricate a high-aspect ratio metal tip attached to microfabricated cantilevers with controlled angle, length, and radius, for use in electrostatic force microscopy. A metal wire, after gluing it into a guiding slot that is cut into the cantilever, is shaped into a long, thin tip using a focused ion beam. The high-aspect ratio results in considerable reduction of the capacitive force between tip body and sample when compared to a metal coated pyramidal tip.