Scanning tunneling microscope light emission spectroscopy with good signal-to-noise ratio

Scanning tunneling microscope (STM) light emission spectroscopy provides a powerful tool for characterization of individual nanometer scale structures on solid surfaces. However, the light to be detected is usually very weak. It is desirable to improve the intensity level for measurements with good signal-to-noise ratio. For this purpose the role that the STM tip-sample gap plays in the light emission is analyzed by the dielectric theory of STM light emission. Based on the theoretical predictions, we discuss how one can obtain strong STM light emission and problems associated with the enhancement of emission.