Distribution of Electron Density in Self-Assembled One-Dimensional Chains of Si Atoms
Scanning tunneling microscopy measurements of height profiles, along the chains of Si atoms on the terrace edges of a perfectly ordered Si(553)-Au surface, reveal an STM bias-dependent mixed periodicity with periods of one, two and one and a half lattice constants. The simple linear chain model usua...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2023-09-01
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| Series: | Materials |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1944/16/17/6044 |
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| author | Mieczysław Jałochowski Tomasz Kwapiński |
| author_facet | Mieczysław Jałochowski Tomasz Kwapiński |
| author_sort | Mieczysław Jałochowski |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Scanning tunneling microscopy measurements of height profiles, along the chains of Si atoms on the terrace edges of a perfectly ordered Si(553)-Au surface, reveal an STM bias-dependent mixed periodicity with periods of one, two and one and a half lattice constants. The simple linear chain model usually observed with STM cannot explain the unexpected fractional periodicity in the height profile. It was found that the edge Si chain stands for, in fact, a zigzag structure, which is composed of two neighboring rows of Si atoms and was detected in the STM experiments. Tight-binding calculations of the local density of states and charge occupancy along the chain explain the voltage-dependent modulations of the STM profiles and show that oscillation periods are determined mainly by the surface and STM tip Fermi energies. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T23:18:07Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-173345d1c52540b688babd05ab4593f7 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1996-1944 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T23:18:07Z |
| publishDate | 2023-09-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Materials |
| spelling | doaj.art-173345d1c52540b688babd05ab4593f72023-11-19T08:29:29ZengMDPI AGMaterials1996-19442023-09-011617604410.3390/ma16176044Distribution of Electron Density in Self-Assembled One-Dimensional Chains of Si AtomsMieczysław Jałochowski0Tomasz Kwapiński1Institute of Physics, Maria Curie-Sklodowska University, 20-031 Lublin, PolandInstitute of Physics, Maria Curie-Sklodowska University, 20-031 Lublin, PolandScanning tunneling microscopy measurements of height profiles, along the chains of Si atoms on the terrace edges of a perfectly ordered Si(553)-Au surface, reveal an STM bias-dependent mixed periodicity with periods of one, two and one and a half lattice constants. The simple linear chain model usually observed with STM cannot explain the unexpected fractional periodicity in the height profile. It was found that the edge Si chain stands for, in fact, a zigzag structure, which is composed of two neighboring rows of Si atoms and was detected in the STM experiments. Tight-binding calculations of the local density of states and charge occupancy along the chain explain the voltage-dependent modulations of the STM profiles and show that oscillation periods are determined mainly by the surface and STM tip Fermi energies.https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1944/16/17/6044atomic chainscharge density wavesFriedel oscillationselectron occupancy along the chainSi(553)-Au surfaceSTM |
| spellingShingle | Mieczysław Jałochowski Tomasz Kwapiński Distribution of Electron Density in Self-Assembled One-Dimensional Chains of Si Atoms Materials atomic chains charge density waves Friedel oscillations electron occupancy along the chain Si(553)-Au surface STM |
| title | Distribution of Electron Density in Self-Assembled One-Dimensional Chains of Si Atoms |
| title_full | Distribution of Electron Density in Self-Assembled One-Dimensional Chains of Si Atoms |
| title_fullStr | Distribution of Electron Density in Self-Assembled One-Dimensional Chains of Si Atoms |
| title_full_unstemmed | Distribution of Electron Density in Self-Assembled One-Dimensional Chains of Si Atoms |
| title_short | Distribution of Electron Density in Self-Assembled One-Dimensional Chains of Si Atoms |
| title_sort | distribution of electron density in self assembled one dimensional chains of si atoms |
| topic | atomic chains charge density waves Friedel oscillations electron occupancy along the chain Si(553)-Au surface STM |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1944/16/17/6044 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT mieczysławjałochowski distributionofelectrondensityinselfassembledonedimensionalchainsofsiatoms AT tomaszkwapinski distributionofelectrondensityinselfassembledonedimensionalchainsofsiatoms |