New scattering-theoretic approach to elastic one-electron tunneling through spatially localized barriers: Application to scanning tunneling microscopy

One-electron elastic tunneling through nonseparable, localized barriers is treated as a problem in Potential Scattering Theory, using the technique of localized Green functions. The method is illustrated by the calculation of the current in a model plano-spherical junction representative of the Scanning Tunneling Microscope whose lateral resolution is discussed. The new technique is applicable to several other localized barrier problems and allows one to test the accuracy of approximate, one-electron tunneling theories. © 1988.