Direct observation of standing wave formation at surface steps using scanning tunneling spectroscopy

Charging of Single Molecules Mediated by the Quantum Phase of Molecular Orbitals

Enriching the observable consequences of quantum phases has been a long-standing pursuit for quantum frontiers. Here, we demonstrate that the quantum phases of molecular orbitals can be manifested from the charging process of single NTCDA molecules. The self-assembled monolayer molecules form moiré patterns with the underlying Pb(111) substrate. The moiré pattern modulates the energy alignment between the molecule orbitals and the substrate Fermi level, resulting in three types of molecules. Scanning tunneling microscopy measurements indicate that all types of molecules can be gated by the tip electric field to incur charge state transitions but with different threshold fields. Intriguingly, the charge rings surrounding individual molecules exhibit intensity variations and even reversals with pertinent directional dependence. Such an observation is ascribed to the antisymmetric quantum phase of the charged molecular orbital, resulting in destructive tunneling along its highly symmetric molecular axis. This work opens up a new platform for utilizing the quantum phase of molecular orbitals in the control of charge transport in molecular junctions.

Atomically Resolved Defect-Engineering Scattering Potential in 2D Semiconductors

Engineering atomic-scale defects has become an important strategy for the future application of transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD) materials in next-generation electronic technologies. Thus, providing an atomic understanding of the electron-defect interactions and supporting defect engineering development to improve carrier transport is crucial to future TMDs technologies. In this work, we utilize low-temperature scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy (LT-STM/S) to elicit how distinct types of defects bring forth scattering potential engineering based on intervalley quantum quasiparticle interference (QPI) in TMDs. Furthermore, quantifying the energy-dependent phase variation of the QPI standing wave reveals the detailed electron-defect interaction between the substitution-induced scattering potential and the carrier transport mechanism. By exploring the intrinsic electronic behavior of atomic-level defects to further understand how defects affect carrier transport in low-dimensional semiconductors, we offer potential technological applications that may contribute to the future expansion of TMDs.

Analogous electronic states in graphene and planer metallic quantum dots

Graphene nanostructures offer wide range of applications due to their distinguished and tunable electronic properties. Recently, atomic and molecular graphene were modeled following simple free-electron scattering by periodic muffin tin potential leading to remarkable agreement with density functional theory. Here we extend the analogy of the π -electronic structures and quantum effects between atomic graphene quantum dots (QDs) and homogeneous planer metallic counterparts of similar size and shape. Specifically, we show that at high binding energies, below the M ¯ -point gap, graphene QDs enclose confined states and standing wave quasiparticle interference patterns analogous to those reported on coinage metal surfaces for nanoscale confining structures such as vacancy islands and quantum corrals. These confined and quantum corral-like states in graphene QDs can be resolved in tomography experiments using angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy. Likewise, the shape of near-Fermi frontier orbitals in graphene quantum dots can be reproduced from electron confinement within homogeneous metal QDs of identical size and shape. Furthermore, confined states analogous to those found in metallic quantum stadiums can be realized in coupled QDs of graphene for reduced separation. The present study offer a simple fundamental understanding of graphene electronic structures and also open the way towards efficient modeling of novel graphene-based nanostructures.

Design and performance of an ultrahigh vacuum spectroscopic-imaging scanning tunneling microscope with a hybrid vibration isolation system

A spectroscopic imaging-scanning tunneling microscope (SI-STM) allows for the atomic scale visualization of the surface electronic and magnetic structure of novel quantum materials with a high energy resolution. To achieve the optimal performance, a low vibration facility is required. Here, we describe the design and performance of an ultrahigh vacuum STM system supported by a hybrid vibration isolation system that consists of a pneumatic passive and a piezoelectric active vibration isolation stage. We present the detailed vibrational noise analysis of the hybrid vibration isolation system, which shows that the vibration level can be suppressed below 10-8 m/sec/√Hz for most frequencies up to 100 Hz. Combined with a rigid STM design, vibrational noise can be successfully removed from the tunneling current. We demonstrate the performance of our STM system by taking high resolution spectroscopic maps and topographic images on several quantum materials. Our results establish a new strategy to achieve an effective vibration isolation system for high-resolution STM and other scanning probe microscopies to investigate the nanoscale quantum phenomena.

Symmetry-selective quasiparticle scattering and electric field tunability of the ZrSiS surface electronic structure

Three-dimensional Dirac semimetals with square-net non-symmorphic symmetry, such as ternary ZrXY (X = Si, Ge; Y = S, Se, Te) compounds, have attracted significant attention owing to the presence of topological nodal lines, loops, or networks in their bulk. Orbital symmetry plays a profound role in such materials as the different branches of the nodal dispersion can be distinguished by their distinct orbital symmetry eigenvalues. The presence of different eigenvalues suggests that scattering between states of different orbital symmetry may be strongly suppressed. Indeed, in ZrSiS, there has been no clear experimental evidence of quasiparticle scattering reported between states of different symmetry eigenvalues at small wave vectorq⃗.Here we show, using quasiparticle interference, that atomic step-edges in the ZrSiS surface facilitate quasiparticle scattering between states of different symmetry eigenvalues. This symmetry eigenvalue mixing quasiparticle scattering is the first to be reported for ZrSiS and contrasts quasiparticle scattering with no mixing of symmetry eigenvalues, where the latter occurs with scatterers preserving the glide mirror symmetry of the crystal lattice, e.g. native point defects in ZrSiS. Finally, we show that the electronic structure of the ZrSiS surface, including its unique floating band surface state, can be tuned by a vertical electric field locally applied by the tip of a scanning tunneling microscope (STM), enabling control of a spin-orbit induced avoided crossing near the Fermi level by as much as 300%.

Synthesis of Quantum-Confined Borophene Nanoribbons

Borophene nanoribbons (BNRs) are one-dimensional strips of atomically thin boron expected to exhibit quantum-confined electronic properties that are not present in extended two-dimensional borophene. While the parent material borophene has been experimentally shown to possess anisotropic metallicity and diverse polymorphic structures, the atomically precise synthesis of nanometer-wide BNRs has not yet been achieved. Here, we demonstrate the synthesis of multiple BNR polymorphs with well-defined edge configurations within the nanometer-scale terraces of vicinal Ag(977). Through atomic-scale imaging, spectroscopy, and first-principles calculations, the synthesized BNR polymorphs are characterized and found to possess distinct edge structures and electronic properties. For single-phase BNRs, v1/6-BNRs and v1/5-BNRs adopt reconstructed armchair edges and sawtooth edges, respectively. In addition, the electronic properties of single-phase v1/6-BNRs and v1/5-BNRs are dominated by Friedel oscillations and striped moiré patterns, respectively. On the other hand, mixed-phase BNRs possess quantum-confined states with increasing nodes in the electronic density of states at elevated biases. Overall, the high degree of polymorphism and diverse edge topologies in borophene nanoribbons provide a rich quantum platform for studying one-dimensional electronic states.

Charge-state lifetimes of single molecules on few monolayers of NaCl

In molecular tunnel junctions, where the molecule is decoupled from the electrodes by few-monolayers-thin insulating layers, resonant charge transport takes place by sequential charge transfer to and from the molecule which implies transient charging of the molecule. The corresponding charge state transitions, which involve tunneling through the insulating decoupling layers, are crucial for understanding electrically driven processes such as electroluminescence or photocurrent generation in such a geometry. Here, we use scanning tunneling microscopy to investigate the decharging of single ZnPc and H2Pc molecules through NaCl films of 3 to 5 monolayers thickness on Cu(111) and Au(111). To this end, we approach the tip to the molecule at resonant tunnel conditions up to a regime where charge transport is limited by tunneling through the NaCl film. The resulting saturation of the tunnel current is a direct measure of the lifetimes of the anionic and cationic states, i.e., the molecule's charge-state lifetime, and thus provides a means to study charge dynamics and, thereby, exciton dynamics. Comparison of anion and cation lifetimes on different substrates reveals the critical role of the level alignment with the insulator's conduction and valence band, and the metal-insulator interface state.

Quantum-well states at the surface of a heavy-fermion superconductor

Two-dimensional electronic states at surfaces are often observed in simple wide-band metals such as Cu or Ag (refs. 1-4). Confinement by closed geometries at the nanometre scale, such as surface terraces, leads to quantized energy levels formed from the surface band, in stark contrast to the continuous energy dependence of bulk electron bands2,5-10. Their energy-level separation is typically hundreds of meV (refs. 3,6,11). In a distinct class of materials, strong electronic correlations lead to so-called heavy fermions with a strongly reduced bandwidth and exotic bulk ground states12,13. Quantum-well states in two-dimensional heavy fermions (2DHFs) remain, however, notoriously difficult to observe because of their tiny energy separation. Here we use millikelvin scanning tunnelling microscopy (STM) to study atomically flat terraces on U-terminated surfaces of the heavy-fermion superconductor URu2Si2, which exhibits a mysterious hidden-order (HO) state below 17.5 K (ref. 14). We observe 2DHFs made of 5f electrons with an effective mass 17 times the free electron mass. The 2DHFs form quantized states separated by a fraction of a meV and their level width is set by the interaction with correlated bulk states. Edge states on steps between terraces appear along one of the two in-plane directions, suggesting electronic symmetry breaking at the surface. Our results propose a new route to realize quantum-well states in strongly correlated quantum materials and to explore how these connect to the electronic environment.

Fabrication and Imaging Monatomic Ni Kagome Lattice on Superconducting Pb(111)

Artificial fabrication of a monolayer Kagome material can offer a promising opportunity to explore exceptional quantum states and phenomena in low dimensionality. Here, we have systematically studied a monatomic Ni Kagome lattice grown on Pb(111) by scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy (STM/STS) and density functional theory (DFT). Sawtooth edge structures with distinct heights due to subsurface Ni atoms have been revealed, leading to asymmetric edge scattering of surface electrons on Pb(111). In addition, a local maximum at about -0.2 eV in tunneling spectra represents a manifestation of characteristic phase-destructive flat bands. Although charge transfer from underlying Pb(111) substrate results in a vanishing magnetic moment of Ni atoms, the proximity-induced superconducting gap is slightly enhanced on the Ni Kagome lattice. In light of single-atomic-layer Ni Kagome lattice on superconducting Pb(111) substrate, it could serve as an ideal platform to investigate the interplay between Kagome physics and superconductivity down to the two-dimensional limit.

Tomographic mapping of the hidden dimension in quasi-particle interference

Quasiparticle interference (QPI) imaging is well established to study the low-energy electronic structure in strongly correlated electron materials with unrivalled energy resolution. Yet, being a surface-sensitive technique, the interpretation of QPI only works well for anisotropic materials, where the dispersion in the direction perpendicular to the surface can be neglected and the quasiparticle interference is dominated by a quasi-2D electronic structure. Here, we explore QPI imaging of galena, a material with an electronic structure that does not exhibit pronounced anisotropy. We find that the quasiparticle interference signal is dominated by scattering vectors which are parallel to the surface plane however originate from bias-dependent cuts of the 3D electronic structure. We develop a formalism for the theoretical description of the QPI signal and demonstrate how this quasiparticle tomography can be used to obtain information about the 3D electronic structure and orbital character of the bands.

Direct Observation of Global Elastic Intervalley Scattering Induced by Impurities on Graphene

The scattering process induced by impurities in graphene plays a key role in transport properties. Especially, the disorder impurities can drive the ordered state with a hexagonal superlattice on graphene by electron-mediated interaction at a transition temperature. Using angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES), we reveal that the epitaxial monolayer and bilayer graphene with various impurities display global elastic intervalley scattering and quantum interference below the critical temperature (34 K), which leads to a set of new folded Dirac cones at the Brillouin-zone center by mixing two inequivalent Dirac cones. The Dirac electrons generated from intervalley scattering without chirality can be due to the breaking of the sublattice symmetry. In addition, the temperature-dependent ARPES measurements indicate the thermal damping of quantum interference patterns from Dirac electron scattering on impurities. Our results demonstrate that the electron scattering and interference induced by impurities can completely modulate the Dirac bands of graphene.

Visualizing designer quantum states in stable macrocycle quantum corrals

Creating atomically precise quantum architectures with high digital fidelity and desired quantum states is an important goal in a new era of quantum technology. The strategy of creating these quantum nanostructures mainly relies on atom-by-atom, molecule-by-molecule manipulation or molecular assembly through non-covalent interactions, which thus lack sufficient chemical robustness required for on-chip quantum device operation at elevated temperature. Here, we report a bottom-up synthesis of covalently linked organic quantum corrals (OQCs) with atomic precision to induce the formation of topology-controlled quantum resonance states, arising from a collective interference of scattered electron waves inside the quantum nanocavities. Individual OQCs host a series of atomic orbital-like resonance states whose orbital hybridization into artificial homo-diatomic and hetero-diatomic molecular-like resonance states can be constructed in Cassini oval-shaped OQCs with desired topologies corroborated by joint ab initio and analytic calculations. Our studies open up a new avenue to fabricate covalently linked large-sized OQCs with atomic precision to engineer desired quantum states with high chemical robustness and digital fidelity for future practical applications.

Silicene growth on Ag(110) and Ag(111) substrates reconsidered in light of Si-Ag reactivity

Silicene, the 2D silicon allotrope analogue of graphene, was theoretically predicted in 1994 as a metastable buckled honeycomb silicon monolayer. Similarly to its carbon counterpart it was predicted to present an electronic structure hosting Dirac cones. In the last decade a great deal of work has been done to synthesize silicene and exploit its properties. In this paper we will review our research group activity in the field, dealing in particular with silicon-substrate interaction upon silicon deposition, and discuss the still debated silicene formation starting from the chemistry of silicon unsaturated compounds.

Friedel Oscillations Induced by Magnetic Skyrmions: From Scattering Properties to All-Electrical Detection

Magnetic skyrmions are spin swirling solitonic defects that can play a major role in information technology. Their future in applications and devices hinges on their efficient manipulation and detection. Here, we explore from ab-initio their nature as magnetic inhomongeities in an otherwise unperturbed magnetic material, Fe layer covered by a thin Pd film and deposited on top of Ir(111) surface. The presence of skyrmions triggers scattering processes, from which Friedel oscillations emerge. The latter mediate interactions among skyrmions or between skyrmions and other potential surrounding defects. In contrast to their wavelengths, the amplitude of the oscillations depends strongly on the size of the skyrmion. The analogy with the scattering-off atomic defects enables the assignment of an effective scattering potential and a phase shift to the skyrmionic particles, which can be useful to predict their behavior on the basis of simple scattering frameworks. The induced charge ripples can be utilized for a noninvasive all-electrical detection of skyrmions located on a surface or even if buried a few nanometers away from the detecting electrode.

Anisotropic Electron Conductance Driven by Reaction Byproducts on a Porous Network of Dibromobenzothiadiazole on Cu(110)

Efficiency in charge-transport is a fundamental but demanding prerequisite to allow better exploitation of molecular functionalities in organic electronics and energy-conversion systems. Here, we report on a mechanism that enables a one-dimensional conductance structure by connecting discrete molecular states at 2.1 eV through the pores of a metal-organic network on Cu(110). Two adjacent, periodic and isoenergetic contributions, namely a molecular resonance and the confined surface-state, add-up leading to anisotropic structures, as channels, observable in real-space conductance images. The adsorption configurations of Br atoms, inorganic byproduct of the redox-reacted 4,7-dibromobenzo[c]-1,2,5-thiadiazole (2Br-BTD) molecules on the copper surface, drive the confinement of the Cu surface state within the pores and critically control the channel continuity. Small displacements of the Br atoms change the local surface potential misaligning the energy levels. This work visualizes the effect of order-disorder transitions caused by the movement of single atoms in the electronic properties of two-dimensional organic networks.

Quantum Confinement of Dirac Quasiparticles in Graphene Patterned with Sub-Nanometer Precision

Quantum confinement of graphene Dirac-like electrons in artificially crafted nanometer structures is a long sought goal that would provide a strategy to selectively tune the electronic properties of graphene, including bandgap opening or quantization of energy levels. However, creating confining structures with nanometer precision in shape, size, and location remains an experimental challenge, both for top-down and bottom-up approaches. Moreover, Klein tunneling, offering an escape route to graphene electrons, limits the efficiency of electrostatic confinement. Here, a scanning tunneling microscope (STM) is used to create graphene nanopatterns, with sub-nanometer precision, by the collective manipulation of a large number of H atoms. Individual graphene nanostructures are built at selected locations, with predetermined orientations and shapes, and with dimensions going all the way from 2 nm up to 1 µm. The method permits the patterns to be erased and rebuilt at will, and it can be implemented on different graphene substrates. STM experiments demonstrate that such graphene nanostructures confine very efficiently graphene Dirac quasiparticles, both in 0D and 1D structures. In graphene quantum dots, perfectly defined energy bandgaps up to 0.8 eV are found that scale as the inverse of the dot's linear dimension, as expected for massless Dirac fermions.

Scanning tunneling spectroscopy studies of topological materials

Topological materials have become promising materials for next-generation devices by utilizing their exotic electronic states. Their exotic states caused by spin-orbital coupling usually locate on the surfaces or at the edges. Scanning tunneling spectroscopy (STS) is a powerful tool to reveal the local electronic structures of condensed matters. Therefore, STS provides us with an almost perfect method to access the exotic states of topological materials. In this topical review, we report the current investigations by several methods based on the STS technique for layered topological material from transition metal dichalcogenide Weyl semimetals (WTe₂ and MoTe₂) to two dimensional topological insulators (layered bismuth and silicene). The electronic characteristics of these layered topological materials are experimentally identified.

Intra- and intermolecular self-assembly of a 20-nm-wide supramolecular hexagonal grid

For the past three decades, the coordination-driven self-assembly of three-dimensional structures has undergone rapid progress; however, parallel efforts to create large discrete two-dimensional architectures-as opposed to polymers-have met with limited success. The synthesis of metallo-supramolecular systems with well-defined shapes and sizes in the range of 10-100 nm remains challenging. Here we report the construction of a series of giant supramolecular hexagonal grids, with diameters on the order of 20 nm and molecular weights greater than 65 kDa, through a combination of intra- and intermolecular metal-mediated self-assembly steps. The hexagonal intermediates and the resulting self-assembled grid architectures were imaged at submolecular resolution by scanning tunnelling microscopy. Characterization (including by scanning tunnelling spectroscopy) enabled the unambiguous atomic-scale determination of fourteen hexagonal grid isomers.

Synthesis of Metallopolymers and Direct Visualization of the Single Polymer Chain

During the past few decades, the study of the single polymer chain has attracted considerable attention with the goal of exploring the structure-property relationship of polymers. It still, however, remains challenging due to the variability and low atomic resolution of the amorphous single polymer chain. Here, we demonstrated a new strategy to visualize the single metallopolymer chain with a hexameric or trimeric supramolecule as a repeat unit, in which Ru(II) with strong coordination and Fe(II) with weak coordination were combined together in a stepwise manner. With the help of ultrahigh-vacuum, low-temperature scanning tunneling microscopy (UHV-LT-STM) and scanning tunneling spectroscopy (STS), we were able to directly visualize both Ru(II) and Fe(II), which act as staining reagents on the repeat units, thus providing detailed structural information for the single polymer chain. As such, the direct visualization of the single random polymer chain is realized to enhance the characterization of polymers at the single-molecule level.

Standing Waves Induced by Valley-Mismatched Domains in Ferroelectric SnTe Monolayers

Two-dimensional (2D) quasiparticle standing waves originate from the interference of coherent quantum states and are usually created by the scattering off edges, atomic steps, or adatoms that induce large potential barriers. We report standing waves close to the valence band maximum (E_{V}), confined by electrically neutral domain walls of newly discovered ferroelectric SnTe monolayers, as revealed by spatially resolved scanning tunneling spectroscopy. Ab initio calculations show that this novel confinement arises from the polarization lifted hole valley degeneracy and a ∼90° rotation of the Brillouin zones that render holes' momentum mismatched across neighboring domains. These results show a potential for polarization-tuned valleytronics in 2D ferroelectrics.

Discrete Electronic Subbands due to Bragg Scattering at Molecular Edges

The discretization of the electronic structure of nanometer-size solid systems due to quantum confinement and the concomitant modification of their physical properties is one of the cornerstones for the development of nanoscience and nanotechnology. In this Letter we demonstrate that the Bragg scattering of Cu(111) surface-state electrons by the periodic arrangement of tetracyanoquinodimethane molecules at the edges of self-assembled molecular islands, along with the dominant contribution of backscattering processes to the electronic density of states, discretizes the possible values of the electron momentum parallel to the island edge. The electronic structure consists thus of a discrete number of subbands which occur in a nonclosed space, and therefore without quantum confinement.

Electronic transport in planar atomic-scale structures measured by two-probe scanning tunneling spectroscopy

Miniaturization of electronic circuits into the single-atom level requires novel approaches to characterize transport properties. Due to its unrivaled precision, scanning probe microscopy is regarded as the method of choice for local characterization of atoms and single molecules supported on surfaces. Here we investigate electronic transport along the anisotropic germanium (001) surface with the use of two-probe scanning tunneling spectroscopy and first-principles transport calculations. We introduce a method for the determination of the transconductance in our two-probe experimental setup and demonstrate how it captures energy-resolved information about electronic transport through the unoccupied surface states. The sequential opening of two transport channels within the quasi-one-dimensional Ge dimer rows in the surface gives rise to two distinct resonances in the transconductance spectroscopic signal, consistent with phase-coherence lengths of up to 50 nm and anisotropic electron propagation. Our work paves the way for the electronic transport characterization of quantum circuits engineered on surfaces.

Measuring electronic transport at the atomic scale requires atom precise contacts. Here, the authors demonstrate quasi-one-dimensional electronic transport along a single dimer row on a germanium surface using a two probe scanning tunneling microscopy protocol.

Atom-by-Atom Construction of a Cyclic Artificial Molecule in Silicon

Hydrogen atoms on a silicon surface, H-Si (100), behave as a resist that can be patterned with perfect atomic precision using a scanning tunneling microscope. When a hydrogen atom is removed in this manner, the underlying silicon presents a chemically active site, commonly referred to as a dangling bond. It has been predicted that individual dangling bonds function as artificial atoms, which, if grouped together, can form designer molecules on the H-Si (100) surface. Here, we present an artificial ring structure molecule spanning three dimer rows, constructed from dangling bonds, and verified by spectroscopic measurement of its molecular orbitals. We found that removing 8 hydrogen atoms resulted in a molecular analog to 1,4-disilylene-hexasilabenzene (Si₈H₈). Scanning tunneling spectroscopic measurements reveal molecular π and π* orbitals that agree with those expected for the same molecule in a vacuum; this is validated by density functional theory calculations of the dangling bond system on a silicon slab that show direct links both to the experimental results and to calculations for the isolated molecule. We believe the unique electronic structure of artificial molecules constructed in this manner can be engineered to enable future molecule-based electronics, surface catalytic functionality, and templating for subsequent site-selective deposition.

Role of Carbon Interstitials in Transition Metal Substrates on Controllable Synthesis of High-Quality Large-Area Two-Dimensional Hexagonal Boron Nitride Layers

Reliable and controllable synthesis of two-dimensional (2D) hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) layers is highly desirable for their applications as 2D dielectric and wide bandgap semiconductors. In this work, we demonstrate that the dissolution of carbon into cobalt (Co) and nickel (Ni) substrates can facilitate the growth of h-BN and attain large-area 2D homogeneity. The morphology of the h-BN film can be controlled from 2D layer-plus-3D islands to homogeneous 2D few-layers by tuning the carbon interstitial concentration in the Co substrate through a carburization process prior to the h-BN growth step. Comprehensive characterizations were performed to evaluate structural, electrical, optical, and dielectric properties of these samples. Single-crystal h-BN flakes with an edge length of ∼600 μm were demonstrated on carburized Ni. An average breakdown electric field of 9 MV/cm was achieved for an as-grown continuous 3-layer h-BN on carburized Co. Density functional theory calculations reveal that the interstitial carbon atoms can increase the adsorption energy of B and N atoms on the Co(111) surface and decrease the diffusion activation energy and, in turn, promote the nucleation and growth of 2D h-BN.

Microscopy with a single-molecule scanning electrometer

The vibrational spectrum of a single carbon monoxide molecule, adsorbed on the tip apex of a scanning tunneling microscope, is used to image electrostatic fields with submolecular spatial resolution. The method takes advantage of the vibrational Stark effect to image local electrostatic fields and the single-molecule sensitivity of tip-enhanced Raman scattering (TERS) to optically relay the signal. We apply the method to single metalloporphyrins adsorbed on Au(111) to image molecular charges, intramolecular polarization, local photoconductivity, atomically resolved hydrogen bonds, and surface electron density waves.

Combined pulsed laser deposition and non-contact atomic force microscopy system for studies of insulator metal oxide thin films

We have designed and developed a combined system of pulsed laser deposition (PLD) and non-contact atomic force microscopy (NC-AFM) for observations of insulator metal oxide surfaces. With this system, the long-period iterations of sputtering and annealing used in conventional methods for preparing a metal oxide film surface are not required. The performance of the combined system is demonstrated for the preparation and high-resolution NC-AFM imaging of atomically flat thin films of anatase TiO2(001) and LaAlO3(100).

Formation of Surface and Quantum-Well States in Ultra Thin Pt Films on the Au(111) Surface

The electronic structure of the Pt/Au(111) heterostructures with a number of Pt monolayers n ranging from one to three is studied in the density-functional-theory framework. The calculations demonstrate that the deposition of the Pt atomic thin films on gold substrate results in strong modifications of the electronic structure at the surface. In particular, the Au(111) s-p-type Shockley surface state becomes completely unoccupied at deposition of any number of Pt monolayers. The Pt adlayer generates numerous quantum-well states in various energy gaps of Au(111) with strong spatial confinement at the surface. As a result, strong enhancement in the local density of state at the surface Pt atomic layer in comparison with clean Pt surface is obtained. The excess in the density of states has maximal magnitude in the case of one monolayer Pt adlayer and gradually reduces with increasing number of Pt atomic layers. The spin-orbit coupling produces strong modification of the energy dispersion of the electronic states generated by the Pt adlayer and gives rise to certain quantum states with a characteristic Dirac-cone shape.

Quasiparticle Interference on Cubic Perovskite Oxide Surfaces

We report the observation of coherent surface states on cubic perovskite oxide SrVO_{3}(001) thin films through spectroscopic-imaging scanning tunneling microscopy. A direct link between the observed quasiparticle interference patterns and the formation of a d_{xy}-derived surface state is supported by first-principles calculations. We show that the apical oxygens on the topmost VO_{2} plane play a critical role in controlling the coherent surface state via modulating orbital state.

Long-range ferrimagnetic order in a two-dimensional supramolecular Kondo lattice

Realization of long-range magnetic order in surface-supported two-dimensional systems has been challenging, mainly due to the competition between fundamental magnetic interactions as the short-range Kondo effect and spin-stabilizing magnetic exchange interactions. Spin-bearing molecules on conducting substrates represent a rich platform to investigate the interplay of these fundamental magnetic interactions. Here we demonstrate the direct observation of long-range ferrimagnetic order emerging in a two-dimensional supramolecular Kondo lattice. The lattice consists of paramagnetic hexadeca-fluorinated iron phthalocyanine (FeFPc) and manganese phthalocyanine (MnPc) molecules co-assembled into a checkerboard pattern on single-crystalline Au(111) substrates. Remarkably, the remanent magnetic moments are oriented in the out-of-plane direction with significant contribution from orbital moments. First-principles calculations reveal that the FeFPc-MnPc antiferromagnetic nearest-neighbour coupling is mediated by the Ruderman-Kittel-Kasuya-Yosida exchange interaction via the Au substrate electronic states. Our findings suggest the use of molecular frameworks to engineer novel low-dimensional magnetically ordered materials and their application in molecular quantum devices.

Quasiparticle interference in unconventional 2D systems

At present, research of 2D systems mainly focuses on two kinds of materials: graphene-like materials and transition-metal dichalcogenides (TMDs). Both of them host unconventional 2D electronic properties: pseudospin and the associated chirality of electrons in graphene-like materials, and spin-valley-coupled electronic structures in the TMDs. These exotic electronic properties have attracted tremendous interest for possible applications in nanodevices in the future. Investigation on the quasiparticle interference (QPI) in 2D systems is an effective way to uncover these properties. In this review, we will begin with a brief introduction to 2D systems, including their atomic structures and electronic bands. Then, we will discuss the formation of Friedel oscillation due to QPI in constant energy contours of electron bands, and show the basic concept of Fourier-transform scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy (FT-STM/STS), which can resolve Friedel oscillation patterns in real space and consequently obtain the QPI patterns in reciprocal space. In the next two parts, we will summarize some pivotal results in the investigation of QPI in graphene and silicene, in which systems the low-energy quasiparticles are described by the massless Dirac equation. The FT-STM experiments show there are two different interference channels (intervalley and intravalley scattering) and backscattering suppression, which associate with the Dirac cones and the chirality of quasiparticles. The monolayer and bilayer graphene on different substrates (SiC and metal surfaces), and the monolayer and multilayer silicene on a Ag(1 1 1) surface will be addressed. The fifth part will introduce the FT-STM research on QPI in TMDs (monolayer and bilayer of WSe₂), which allow us to infer the spin texture of both conduction and valence bands, and present spin-valley coupling by tracking allowed and forbidden scattering channels.

Dynamical polarizability, screening and plasmons in one, two and three dimensional massive Dirac systems

We study the density-density response function of a collection of charged massive Dirac particles and present analytical expressions for the dynamical polarization function in one, two and three dimensions. The polarization function is then used to find the dispersion of the plasmon modes, and electrostatic screening of Coulomb interactions within the random phase approximation. We find that for massive Dirac systems, the oscillating screened potential (or density) decays as r ^-2 and r ^-3 in two and three dimensions respectively, and as r ^-1 for one dimensional non-interacting systems. However for massless Dirac systems there is no electrostatic screening or Friedel oscillation in one dimension, and the oscillating screened potential decays as r ^-3 and r ^-4, in two and three dimensions respectively. Our analytical results for the polarization function will be useful for exploring the physics of massive and massless Dirac electrons in different experimental systems with varying dimensionality.

Scanning Tunneling Microscopy Observation of Phonon Condensate

Using quantum tunneling of electrons into vibrating surface atoms, phonon oscillations can be observed on the atomic scale. Phonon interference patterns with unusually large signal amplitudes have been revealed by scanning tunneling microscopy in intercalated van der Waals heterostructures. Our results show that the effective radius of these phonon quasi-bound states, the real-space distribution of phonon standing wave amplitudes, the scattering phase shifts, and the nonlinear intermode coupling strongly depend on the presence of defect-induced scattering resonance. The observed coherence of these quasi-bound states most likely arises from phase- and frequency-synchronized dynamics of all phonon modes, and indicates the formation of many-body condensate of optical phonons around resonant defects. We found that increasing the strength of the scattering resonance causes the increase of the condensate droplet radius without affecting the condensate fraction inside it. The condensate can be observed at room temperature.

Structure and local charging of electromigrated Au nanocontacts

We study the structure and the electronic properties of Au nanocontacts created by controlled electromigration of thin film devices, a method frequently used to contact molecules. In contrast to electromigration testing, a current is applied in a cyclic fashion and during each cycle the resistance increase of the metal upon heating is used to avoid thermal runaway. In this way, nanometer sized-gaps are obtained. The thin film devices with an optimized structure at the origin of the electromigration process are made by shadow evaporation without contamination by organic materials. Defining rounded edges and a thinner area in the center of the device allow to pre-determine the location where the electromigration takes place. Scanning force microscopy images of the pristine Au film and electromigrated contact show its grainy structure. Through electromigration, a 1.5 μm-wide slit is formed, with extensions only on the anode side that had previously not been observed in narrower structures. It is discussed whether this could be explained by asymmetric heating of both electrodes. New grains are formed in the slit and on the extensions on both, the anode and the cathode side. The smaller structures inside the slit lead to an electrode distance below 150 nm. Kelvin probe force microscopy images show a local work function difference with fluctuations of 70 mV on the metal before electromigration. Between the electrodes, disconnected through electromigration, a work function difference of 3.2 V is observed due to charging. Some of the grains newly formed by electromigration are electrically disconnected from the electrodes.

Probing the Nodal Structure of Landau Level Wave Functions in Real Space

The inversion layer of p-InSb(110) obtained by Cs adsorption of 1.8% of a monolayer is used to probe the Landau level wave functions within smooth potential valleys by scanning tunneling spectroscopy at 14 T. The nodal structure becomes apparent as a double peak structure of each spin polarized first Landau level, while the zeroth Landau level exhibits a single peak per spin level only. The real space data show single rings of the valley-confined drift states for the zeroth Landau level and double rings for the first Landau level. The result is reproduced by a recursive Green function algorithm using the potential landscape obtained experimentally. We show that the result is generic by comparing the local density of states from the Green function algorithm with results from a well-controlled analytic model based on the guiding center approach.

Theory of scanning tunneling spectroscopy: from Kondo impurities to heavy fermion materials

Kondo systems ranging from the single Kondo impurity to heavy fermion materials present us with a plethora of unconventional properties whose theoretical understanding is still one of the major open problems in condensed matter physics. Over the last few years, groundbreaking scanning tunneling spectroscopy (STS) experiments have provided unprecedented new insight into the electronic structure of Kondo systems. Interpreting the results of these experiments-the differential conductance and the quasi-particle interference spectrum-however, has been complicated by the fact that electrons tunneling from the STS tip into the system can tunnel either into the heavy magnetic moment or the light conduction band states. In this article, we briefly review the theoretical progress made in understanding how quantum interference between these two tunneling paths affects the experimental STS results. We show how this theoretical insight has allowed us to interpret the results of STS experiments on a series of heavy fermion materials providing detailed knowledge of their complex electronic structure. It is this knowledge that is a conditio sine qua non for developing a deeper understanding of the fascinating properties exhibited by heavy fermion materials, ranging from unconventional superconductivity to non-Fermi-liquid behavior in the vicinity of quantum critical points.

Visualizing the interface state of PTCDA on Au(111) by scanning tunneling microscopy

We have investigated by means of scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and spectroscopy (STS) the electronic structure of PTCDA (3,4,9,10-perylene-tetracarboxylic-dianhydride) molecular monolayers grown on Au(111). Thanks to our STM/STS measurements, performed under ultra-high vacuum conditions and low temperature, an interface state directly derived from the Shockley-type surface state of pristine Au(111) has been detected. Low bias voltage STM images show the formation of standing wave patterns both on Au(111) and on Au(111) covered by a PTCDA monolayer. These patterns result from the scattering of quasi-free 2D electron surface states with surface defects. By Fourier transforming STM images, the corresponding wavevectors have been extracted. In particular, the simultaneous imaging of both pristine and PTCDA covered Au(111) areas has allowed to measure the Fermi contours and the Fermi wavevectors of both systems. These measurements show that one monolayer PTCDA on Au(111) presents an interface state with an isotropic circular Fermi contour and smaller Fermi wavector ([Formula: see text]) than the corresponding Fermi wavector of pristine Au(111) ([Formula: see text]). This picture is consistent with an upward shift of the Shockley-type surface state due to the presence of the molecular monolayer.

Electronic and optical properties of graphene nanoribbons in external fields

A review work is done for the electronic and optical properties of graphene nanoribbons in magnetic, electric, composite, and modulated fields. Effects due to the lateral confinement, curvature, stacking, non-uniform subsystems and hybrid structures are taken into account. The special electronic properties, induced by complex competitions between external fields and geometric structures, include many one-dimensional parabolic subbands, standing waves, peculiar edge-localized states, width- and field-dependent energy gaps, magnetic-quantized quasi-Landau levels, curvature-induced oscillating Landau subbands, crossings and anti-crossings of quasi-Landau levels, coexistence and combination of energy spectra in layered structures, and various peak structures in the density of states. There exist diverse absorption spectra and different selection rules, covering edge-dependent selection rules, magneto-optical selection rule, splitting of the Landau absorption peaks, intragroup and intergroup Landau transitions, as well as coexistence of monolayer-like and bilayer-like Landau absorption spectra. Detailed comparisons are made between the theoretical calculations and experimental measurements. The predicted results, the parabolic subbands, edge-localized states, gap opening and modulation, and spatial distribution of Landau subbands, have been identified by various experimental measurements.

Confinement properties of 2D porous molecular networks on metal surfaces

Quantum effects that arise from confinement of electronic states have been extensively studied for the surface states of noble metals. Utilizing small artificial structures for confinement allows tailoring of the surface properties and offers unique opportunities for applications. So far, examples of surface state confinement include thin films, artificial nanoscale structures, vacancy and adatom islands, self-assembled 1D chains, vicinal surfaces, quantum dots and quantum corrals. In this review we summarize recent achievements in changing the electronic structure of surfaces by adsorption of nanoporous networks whose design principles are based on the concepts of supramolecular chemistry. Already in 1993, it was shown that quantum corrals made from Fe atoms on a Cu(1 1 1) surface using single atom manipulation with a scanning tunnelling microscope confine the Shockley surface state. However, since the atom manipulation technique for the construction of corral structures is a relatively time consuming process, the fabrication of periodic two-dimensional (2D) corral structures is practically impossible. On the other side, by using molecular self-assembly extended 2D porous structures can be achieved in a parallel process, i.e. all pores are formed at the same time. The molecular building blocks are usually held together by non-covalent interactions like hydrogen bonding, metal coordination or dipolar coupling. Due to the reversibility of the bond formation defect-free and long-range ordered networks can be achieved. However, recently also examples of porous networks formed by covalent coupling on the surface have been reported. By the choice of the molecular building blocks, the dimensions of the network (pore size and pore to pore distance) can be controlled. In this way, the confinement properties of the individual pores can be tuned. In addition, the effect of the confined state on the hosting properties of the pores will be discussed in this review article.

Fingerprints of Multiple Electron Scatterings in Single-Layer Graphene

The electrons in graphene exhibit unusual behaviours, which can be described by massless Dirac quasiparticles. Understanding electron scattering in graphene has been of significant importance for its future application in electronic devices because electron scattering determines electrical properties such as resistivity and electron transport. There are two types of electron scatterings in graphene: intervalley scattering and intravalley scattering. In single-layer graphene, to date, it has been difficult to observe intravalley scattering because of the suppression of backscattering resulting from the chiral nature of the electrons in graphene. Here, we report the multiple electron scattering behaviours in single-layer graphene on a metallic substrate. By applying one- and two-dimensional Fourier transforms to maps of the local density of states, we can distinguish individual scattering processes from complex interference patterns. These techniques enable us to provide direct evidence of intravalley scattering, revealing a linear dispersion relation with a Fermi velocity of ~7.4 × 10(5) m/s.

Incorrect DFT-GGA predictions of the stability of non-stoichiometric/polar dielectric surfaces: the case of Cu2O(111)

GGA overestimates the stability of polar and/or non-stoichiometric surfaces.

Direct observation of many-body charge density oscillations in a two-dimensional electron gas

Quantum interference is a striking manifestation of one of the basic concepts of quantum mechanics: the particle-wave duality. A spectacular visualization of this effect is the standing wave pattern produced by elastic scattering of surface electrons around defects, which corresponds to a modulation of the electronic local density of states and can be imaged using a scanning tunnelling microscope. To date, quantum-interference measurements were mainly interpreted in terms of interfering electrons or holes of the underlying band-structure description. Here, by imaging energy-dependent standing-wave patterns at noble metal surfaces, we reveal, in addition to the conventional surface-state band, the existence of an 'anomalous' energy band with a well-defined dispersion. Its origin is explained by the presence of a satellite in the structure of the many-body spectral function, which is related to the acoustic surface plasmon. Visualizing the corresponding charge oscillations provides thus direct access to many-body interactions at the atomic scale.

Quantum confinement in self-assembled two-dimensional nanoporous honeycomb networks at close-packed metal surfaces

Quantum confinement of a two-dimensional electron gas by supramolecular nanoporous networks is investigated using the boundary elements method based on Green's functions for finite geometries and electron plane wave expansion for periodic systems. The "particle in a box" picture was analyzed for cases with selected symmetries that model previously reported architectures constructed from organic and metal-organic scattering centers confining surface state electrons of Ag(111) and Cu(111). First, by analyzing a series of cases with systematically defined parameters (scattering geometry, potentials, and effective broadening), we demonstrate how the scattering processes affect the properties of the confined electrons. For the features of the local density of states reported by scanning tunneling spectroscopy (STS), we disentangle the contributions of lifetime broadening and splitting of quantum well states due to coupling of neighboring quantum dots. For each system, we analyze the local electron density distribution and relate it to the corresponding band structure as calculated within the plane-wave expansion framework. Then, we address two experimental investigations, where in one case only STS data and in the other case mainly angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) data were reported. In both cases, the experimental findings can be successfully simulated. Furthermore, the missing information can be complemented because our approach allows to correlate the information obtained by STS with that of ARPES. The combined analysis of several observations suggests that the scattering potentials created by the network originate primarily from the adsorbate-induced changes of the local surface dipole barrier.

Imaging Josephson vortices on the surface superconductor Si(111)-(√7×√3)-In using a scanning tunneling microscope

We have studied the superconducting Si(111)-(√7×√3)-In surface using a ³He-based low-temperature scanning tunneling microscope. Zero-bias conductance images taken over a large surface area reveal that vortices are trapped at atomic steps after magnetic fields are applied. The crossover behavior from Pearl to Josephson vortices is clearly identified from their elongated shapes along the steps and significant recovery of superconductivity within the cores. Our numerical calculations combined with experiments clarify that these characteristic features are determined by the relative strength of the interterrace Josephson coupling at the atomic step.

Quantum well states and amplified spin-dependent Friedel oscillations in thin films

Electrons mediate many of the interactions between atoms in a solid. Their propagation in a material determines its thermal, electrical, optical, magnetic and transport properties. Therefore, the constant energy contours characterizing the electrons, in particular the Fermi surface, have a prime impact on the behaviour of materials. If anisotropic, the contours induce strong directional dependence at the nanoscale in the Friedel oscillations surrounding impurities. Here we report on giant anisotropic charge density oscillations focused along specific directions with strong spin-filtering after scattering at an oxygen impurity embedded in the surface of a ferromagnetic thin film of Fe grown on W(001). Utilizing density functional theory, we demonstrate that by changing the thickness of the Fe films, we control quantum well states confined to two dimensions that manifest as multiple flat energy contours, impinging and tuning the strength of the induced charge oscillations which allow to detect the oxygen impurity at large distances (≈50 nm).

Field-induced superconducting phase of FeSe in the BCS-BEC cross-over

Fermi systems in the cross-over regime between weakly coupled Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer (BCS) and strongly coupled Bose-Einstein-condensate (BEC) limits are among the most fascinating objects to study the behavior of an assembly of strongly interacting particles. The physics of this cross-over has been of considerable interest both in the fields of condensed matter and ultracold atoms. One of the most challenging issues in this regime is the effect of large spin imbalance on a Fermi system under magnetic fields. Although several exotic physical properties have been predicted theoretically, the experimental realization of such an unusual superconducting state has not been achieved so far. Here we show that pure single crystals of superconducting FeSe offer the possibility to enter the previously unexplored realm where the three energies, Fermi energy εF, superconducting gap Δ, and Zeeman energy, become comparable. Through the superfluid response, transport, thermoelectric response, and spectroscopic-imaging scanning tunneling microscopy, we demonstrate that εF of FeSe is extremely small, with the ratio Δ/εF ~ 1(~0.3) in the electron (hole) band. Moreover, thermal-conductivity measurements give evidence of a distinct phase line below the upper critical field, where the Zeeman energy becomes comparable to εF and Δ. The observation of this field-induced phase provides insights into previously poorly understood aspects of the highly spin-polarized Fermi liquid in the BCS-BEC cross-over regime.

The impact of structural relaxation on spin polarization and magnetization reversal of individual nano structures studied by spin-polarized scanning tunneling microscopy

The application of low temperature spin-polarized scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy in magnetic fields for the quantitative characterization of spin polarization, magnetization reversal and magnetic anisotropy of individual nano structures is reviewed. We find that structural relaxation, spin polarization and magnetic anisotropy vary on the nm scale near the border of a bilayer Co island on Cu(1 1 1). This relaxation is lifted by perimetric decoration with Fe. We discuss the role of spatial variations of the spin-dependent electronic properties within and at the edge of a single nano structure for its magnetic properties.

Graphene on hexagonal boron nitride

The field of graphene research has developed rapidly since its first isolation by mechanical exfoliation in 2004. Due to the relativistic Dirac nature of its charge carriers, graphene is both a promising material for next-generation electronic devices and a convenient low-energy testbed for intrinsically high-energy physical phenomena. Both of these research branches require the facile fabrication of clean graphene devices so as not to obscure its intrinsic physical properties. Hexagonal boron nitride has emerged as a promising substrate for graphene devices as it is insulating, atomically flat and provides a clean charge environment for the graphene. Additionally, the interaction between graphene and boron nitride provides a path for the study of new physical phenomena not present in bare graphene devices. This review focuses on recent advancements in the study of graphene on hexagonal boron nitride devices from the perspective of scanning tunneling microscopy with highlights of some important results from electrical transport measurements.

Anisotropic Fabry-Pérot resonant states confined within nano-steps on the topological insulator surface

The peculiar nature of topological surface states, such as absence of backscattering, weak anti-localization, and quantum anomalous Hall effect, has been demonstrated mainly in bulk and film of topological insulator (TI), using surface sensitive probes and bulk transport probes. However, it is equally important and experimentally challenging to confine massless Dirac fermions with nano-steps on TI surfaces. This potential structure has similar ground with linearly-dispersed photons in Fabry-Pérot resonators, while reserving fundamental differences from well-studied Fabry-Pérot resonators and quantum corrals on noble metal surfaces. In this paper, we study the massless Dirac fermions confined within steps along the x (Γ–K) or y (Γ–M) direction on the TI surface, and the Fabry-Pérot-like resonances in the electronic local density of states (LDOS) between the steps are found. Due to the remarkable warping effect in the topological surface states, the LDOS confined in the step-well running along Γ-M direction exhibit anisotropic resonance patterns as compared to those in the step-well along Γ-K direction. The transmittance properties and spin orientation of Dirac fermion in both cases are also anisotropic in the presence of warping effect.