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← ScienceWhich consequence results when a scanning tunneling microscope's probe is mechanically unstable?
A)Inaccurate surface height measurements appear✓
B)Oxidation reactions contaminate the STM tip
C)Sample undergoes irreversible plastic deformation
D)Tip-sample junction demonstrates ballistic conduction
💡 Explanation
In an STM, instability leads to inaccurate height profiling because constant-current feedback relies on precise probe positioning: if the tunneling current changes due to vibration, the feedback function incorrectly adjusts the apparent height. This occurs rather than plastic deformation, or other modes.
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