# Robust procedure for creating and characterizing the atomic structure of scanning tunneling microscope tips

## TL;DR

This paper introduces an in-situ method for preparing and characterizing atomic-scale STM tips, ensuring reproducible crystalline structures and controlled evolution from undefined shapes, enhancing atomic-scale studies.

## Contribution

The paper presents a novel in-situ procedure for creating and characterizing STM tips with controlled atomic structure and reproducibility, addressing a longstanding challenge.

## Key findings

- Achieved reproducible crystalline tip structures
- Demonstrated controlled evolution of tip shapes
- Ensured atomic-layer precision in tip preparation

## Abstract

Scanning tunneling microscopes (STM) are used extensively for studying and manipulating matter at the atomic scale. In spite of the critical role of the STM tip, the control of the atomic-scale shape of STM tips remains a poorly solved problem. Here, we present a method for preparing tips {\it in-situ} and for ensuring the crystalline structure and reproducibly preparing tip structure up to the second atomic layer. We demonstrate a controlled evolution of such tips starting from undefined tip shapes.