PROCESS OF DEFORMING A SURFACE ON A SUB-MICROMETRIC SCALE; APPLIANCE FOR ITS PERFORMANCE; REGISTRATION SUPPORT AND APPLIANCE TO REGISTER AND READ INFORMATION

摘要

A method of and a device for sub-micron deforming a surface (15) is described, for example for the purpose of inscribing information. During scanning of the surface the tip (14) of a scanning tunneling microscope is held at a constant distance from the surface by means of a negative feedback control loop (18) which is controlled by a tunneling current (It) between the tip and the surface, and for forming a pit (21) in the surface (15) the control loop is deactivated and a tip height drive member (8) is energized by means of a control voltage (Vpz) whose amplitude increases as a function of time and which has a predetermined final value, such that the tip is lowered into the material.