Page "Scanning tunneling microscope" Paragraph 20

Aside from modifying the actual sample surface, one can also use the STM to tunnel electrons into a layer of electron beam photoresist on a sample, in order to do lithography.

This has the advantage of offering more control of the exposure than traditional electron beam lithography.

Another practical application of STM is atomic deposition of metals ( Au, Ag, W, etc.

) with any desired ( pre-programmed ) pattern, which can be used as contacts to nanodevices or as nanodevices themselves.