We use a variable temperature scanning tunneling microscope for our experiments. It works in ultra-high vacuum (10^-10 mbar) at a temperature range from 30 to 300 K and includes standard vacuum components as pumping units and for sample preparation.

In this system we installed sample stages for sputtering and annealing of highly pure metallic and semiconducting substrates. After preparation of atomically flat substrates thin layers of organic and metallic adsorbates are deposited.

On the right, a direct view of the real experimental setup of the microscope is given. Whereas the whole setup already rests on pneumatic damping legs the microscope itself is mounted on an eddy current damped table.