biostudies-literature00440Bertolini GSwiss National Science FoundationKommission für Technologie und InnovationEuropean Commission210511https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC8278050biostudies-literatureUnknown8(7)In scanning field emission microscopy (SFEM), a tip (the source) is approached to few (or a few tens of) nanometres distance from a surface (the collector) and biased to field-emit electrons. In a previous study (Zanin <i>et al.</i> 2016 <i>Proc. R. Soc. A</i> <b>472</b>, 20160475. (doi:10.1098/rspa.2016.0475)), the field-emitted current was found to change by approximately 1% at a monatomic surface step (approx. 200 pm thick). Here we prepare surface domains of adjacent different materials that, in some instances, have a topographic contrast smaller than 15 pm. Nevertheless, we observe a contrast in the field-emitted current as high as 10%. This non-topographic collector material dependence is a yet unexplored degree of freedom calling for a new understanding of the quantum mechanical tunnelling barrier at the source site that takes into account the properties of the material at the collector site.Royal Society open scienceNon-topographic current contrast in scanning field emission microscopy.PMC827805020-1344221344229860.1 PFNM-NM606988 (FP7-PEOPLE-2013-ITN)Bertolini GZanin DACabrera HPescia DGurlu OSchnedler MXanthakis JPDunin-Borkowski REProbsting RWei JWestholm DRamsperger U44falseNon-topographic current contrast in scanning field emission microscopy.In scanning field emission microscopy (SFEM), a tip (the source) is approached to few (or a few tens of) nanometres distance from a surface (the collector) and biased to field-emit electrons. In a previous study (Zanin <i>et al.</i> 2016 <i>Proc. R. Soc. A</i> <b>472</b>, 20160475. (doi:10.1098/rspa.2016.0475)), the field-emitted current was found to change by approximately 1% at a monatomic surface step (approx. 200 pm thick). Here we prepare surface domains of adjacent different materials that, in some instances, have a topographic contrast smaller than 15 pm. Nevertheless, we observe a contrast in the field-emitted current as high as 10%. This non-topographic collector material dependence is a yet unexplored degree of freedom calling for a new understanding of the quantum mechanical tunnelling barrier at the source site that takes into account the properties of the material at the collector site.2021-01-01T00:00:00Z2021 Jul2024-02-15T20:07:16.882Z2022-02-10T22:12:57.064ZS-EPMC82780503429553010.1098/rsos.210511