Ion scattering spectroscopy and scanning tunneling microscopy: A powerful combination for surface structure analysis

Low-energy ion backscattering and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) have been used in combination to get better insight into the field of surface crystallography. The synergic effectiveness resulting from the complementing character of the two methods has been exemplified at clean NiAl(111) and for oxygen and nitrogen adsorption on Cu(110). The position of the atom cores is accessible by the low-energy noble gas impact collision ion scattering spectroscopy with neutral detection (NICISS). As a technique averaging over a macroscopic area of the sample, NICISS is better suited to supply information on features of completely developed phases, either on clean or adsorbate saturated surfaces. Additional information, on the other hand, can be gained by scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), which as a powerful local probe may be used to image surfaces with atomic resolution and to monitor defects, steps and the growth kinetics of e.g. adsorption-induced phase changes.     

Jump to contact and neck formation between Pb surfaces and a STM tip

We present a study of the interaction of a W STM tip and the (110) and (111) surfaces of Pb. Atomic resolution has been obtained at room temperature on Pb(110) and up to 330 K on Pb(111). At higher temperatures the surfaces can jump to mechanical contact with the STM tip, resulting in the formation of a connecting neck of Pb between tip and surface. As the tip is retracted, the neck elongates and finally breaks. The dependence of the maximum neck size on the temperature and the tip retraction speed indicates that surface diffusion is responsible for the neck build-up. When the surface is partially oxidized the maximum neck size is reduced. We derive a scaling relation between the maximum neck size, the retraction speed and the surface diffusion coefficient. With this relation and the temperature dependence of the maximum neck size we obtain activation energies for the neck build-up of 1.3 and 0.9 eV respectively for necks on Pb(110) and Pb(111). When a neck breaks, either a crater or a hillock is left on the surface.     

Direct observation of an ordered step surface reconstruction on Au(111) by scanning tunneling microscopy

Experiments with a scanning tunneling microscope (STM) are reported which include the first surface topographic images of Au(111), cleaned and annealed in ultrahigh vacuum. The STM system used for this work includes in situ sample manipulation for sample cleaning, annealing and characterization. Topographs with very large atomically flat (111) regions are obtained and no corrugation on the scale of about 0.1 Å is observed. Some single atomic steps are observed. Surprisingly, ordered arrays of single steps are observed over a large region. These represent a type of surface reconstruction whose repeat period agrees with values derived from previous LEED, TEM and ion scattering measurements. These results represent the first critical information about the surface topography of the Au(111) surface.     

Electronic properties and interfacial coupling in Pb islands on single-crystalline graphene

Introducing metal thin films on two-dimensional (2D) material may present a system to possess exotic properties due to reduced dimensionality and interfacial effects. We deposit Pb islands on single-crystalline graphene on a Ge(110) substrate and studied the nano- and atomic-scale structures and low-energy electronic excitations with scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy (STM/STS). Robust quantum well states (QWSs) are observed in Pb(111) islands and their oscillation with film thickness reveals the isolation of free electrons in Pb from the graphene substrate. The spectroscopic characteristics of QWSs are consistent with the band structure of a free-standing Pb(111) film. The weak interface coupling is further evidenced by the absence of superconductivity in graphene in close proximity to the superconducting Pb islands. Accordingly, the Pb(111) islands on graphene/Ge(110) are free-standing in nature, showing very weak electronic coupling to the substrate.     

Scanning tunneling microscopy observation of copper-phthalocyanine molecules on Si(100) and Si(111) surfaces

Molecules of Cu-phthalocyanine (CuPc) deposited on Si(100) and Si(111) surfaces have been observed by an ultra high vacuum field ion scanning tunneling microscope (FI-STM). On a Si(100) surface, STM images with four-fold symmetry are observed, which reflect the shape of the CuPc molecule. The STM pictures show that CuPc molecules are deposited with the molecular plane parallel to the substrate surface and have three kinds of adsorption configurations on the dimer-row of Si(100). The images of the CuPc are modified by the electronic state of the Si(100) surface. This behavior suggests strong interaction between the molecule and the substrate. The molecular images on the Si(111) surface have a unique bias-voltage dependence. At a sample bias of 1.6 V, the molecule looks transparent by STM, and becomes dark like a vacancy at 1.2 V. From the bias dependence, the electronic interaction between the CuPc molecule and the Si surface is discussed.     

Crystallography and morphology of the early stages of the growth of CoCu(111) by LEED and STM

We report on a quantitative investigation of the structure and morphology of ultrathin films of Co deposited on Cu(111) by an in situ combination of real space (STM) and diffraction (LEED) techniques. The film grows initially as bilayer islands with strict fcc stacking. part of them are covered by Cu. The lateral distribution of Co- and Cu-terminated domains as well as of uncovered patches is both quantitatively determined by intensity analysis and visualized by STM images. Their simultaneous presence correlates nicely to known magnetic properties of ultrathin films, in particular with the observed magnetic anisotropy.     

Au-CdSe纳米异质结在Au(111)表面上的分散与STM表征

研究单个Au-CdSe纳米异质结在经过表面修饰的Au(111)上的分散并进行STM表征. 发现衬底表面的自组装分子层的顶端功能基团对于形成良好的异质结分散状态非常重要. STM表明,巯基和羧酸基都能与异质结的Au纳米颗粒部分形成强烈的相互作用,从而将异质结有效地抓住,避免了团聚现象,便于异质结形成孤立分散的样品结构. 还可以采用条件适中的氩离子溅射技术来清除样品表面残留的有机物,从而得到较清晰的单个Au-CdSe纳米异质结的STM图像.     

Image charge effect on the light emission of rutile TiO_2(110) induced by a scanning tunneling microscope

The plasmon-enhanced light emission of rutile TiO_2(110) surface has been investigated by a low-temperature scanning tunneling microscope(STM). We found that the photon emission arises from the inelastic electron tunneling between the STM tip and the conduction band or defect states of TiO_2(110). In contrast to the Au(111) surface, the maximum photon energy as a function of the bias voltage clearly deviates from the linear scaling behavior, suggesting the non-negligible effect of the STM tip on the band structure of TiO_2. By performing differential conductance( dI/dV) measurements, it was revealed that such a deviation is not related to the tip-induced band bending, but is attributed to the image charge effect of the metal tip, which significantly shifts the band edges of the TiO_2(110) towards the Femi level(E_F) during the tunneling process. This work not only sheds new lights onto the understanding of plasmon-enhanced light emission of semiconductor surfaces, but also opens up a new avenue for engineering the plasmon-mediated interfacial charge transfer in molecular and semiconducting materials.     

Complex magnetism in ultra-thin films: atomic-scale spin structures and resolution by the spin-polarized scanning tunneling microscope

In this paper we present a density functional theory investigation of complex magnetic structures in ultra-thin films. The focus is on magnetically frustrated antiferromagnetic Cr and Mn monolayers deposited on a triangular lattice provided by a Ag (111) substrate. This involves non-collinear magnetic structures, which we treat by first-principles calculations on the basis of the vector spin-density formulation of the density functional theory. We find for Cr/Ag (111) a coplanar non-collinear periodic 120° Néel structure, for Mn/Ag (111) a row-wise antiferromagnetic structure, and for Fe/Ag (111) a ferromagnetic structure as magnetic ground states. The spin-polarized scanning tunneling microscope (SP–STM) operated in the constant-current mode is proposed as a powerful tool to investigate complex atomic-scale magnetic structures of otherwise chemically equivalent atoms. We discuss a recent application of this operation mode of the SP–STM on Mn/W (110), which led to the first observation of a two-dimensional antiferromagnet on a non-magnetic metal. The future potential of this approach is demonstrated by calculating SP–STM images for different magnetic structures of Cr/Ag (111). The results show that the predicted non-collinear magnetic ground state structure can clearly be discriminated from competing magnetic structures. A general discussion of the application of different operation modes of the SP–STM is presented on the basis of the model of Tersoff and Hamann. Received: 07 May 2001 / Accepted: 23 July 2001 / Published online: 3 April 2002     

Au(111)表面单个钴酞菁分子的去氢过程

利用低温超高真空扫描隧道显微镜对单个钴酞菁分子实现了选键化学反应.通过对吸附于Au(111)表面的单个钴酞菁分子外围H原子的"剪裁",并用实验图像和谱学方法,结合第一性原理理论计算研究了逐步去除钴酞菁分子8个外围H原子的过程.理论计算结果再现了实验中所观测到的分子空间构型的变化,并阐明了吸附体系中局域自旋的恢复和变化过程.     

Effect of impurities on the surface morphology of Fe(111)

The surface composition and morphology of Fe(111) have been examined through a combined analysis that includes low-energy electron diffraction (LEED), Auger electron spectroscopy (AES), and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). The preferential segregation of sulfur has been clearly identified by AES upon annealing. The STM images exhibit numerous triangular pits of various sizes, and the LEED patterns show diffused n × 1 spots. The triangular pits reveal a Sierpinski gasket fractal. For sulfur-free Fe(111), nitrogen segregates to the surface upon annealing, forming a 4√3 × 4√3 superstructure that is identified by LEED patterns and STM images. The STM images show nanoscale triangular clusters regularly aligned in a hexagonal 4√3 × 4√3 configuration. Ultra-thin chromium film deposited on a nitrogen-segregated Fe(111) surface with post-annealing induces further nitrogen segregation, resulting in the formation of triangular pyramid-shaped CrN nanoclusters.     

Surface miller index dependence of Auger neutralization of ions on surfaces

Neutralization of He+ ions in grazing incidence scattering on Ag(111) and Ag(110) surfaces is studied. These measurements reveal the existence of an order of magnitude difference in the probability of ion survival on Ag(110) and Ag(111). The experimental results are discussed in terms of survival from Auger neutralization, whose rates are derived theoretically. Molecular dynamics simulation of scattered ion trajectories is performed and the surviving ion fractions are then calculated using the theoretical Auger neutralization rates, without adjustable parameters. The calculations agree quite well with the experimental data and show that the observed differences in the neutralization probabilities on these surfaces are related to different extensions of the electron density beyond the surface, resulting from different atomic packing.     

Single atom self-diffusion on nickel surfaces

Results of a field ion microscope study of single atom self-diffusion on Ni(311), (331), (110), (111) and (100) planes are presented, including detailed information on the self-diffusion parameters on (311), (331), and (110) surfaces, and activation energies for diffusion on the (111), and (100) surfaces. Evidence is presented for the existence of two types of adsorption site and surface site geometry for single nickel atoms on the (111) surface. The presence of adsorbed hydrogen on the (110), (311), and (331) surfaces is shown to lower the onset temperature for self-diffusion on these planes.     

Optoelectronic Properties and Molecular Ordering of Tetracene Thin Layers on Gold

Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) were used to study the molecular organization and morphology of vacuum-deposited tetracene layers. FTIR and optical measurements confirm that tetracene molecules are not dissociated during vacuum thermal deposition. With STM imaging, a highly ordered, closely packed, lamella-like structure of tetracene monolayer film on the Au(111) surface was observed. Electroluminescence from the nanocomposite consisting of Au nanoparticles and tetracene film is concentrated within submicron luminescent centers and occurs at voltages of 4–5 V in a superlinear section of conduction current–voltage curves. The results can be useful for the design of planar light-emitting devices.     

STM investigation of the adsorption and temperature dependent reactions of ethylene on Pt(111)

The adsorption and reactions of ethylene adsorbed in UHV on Pt(111) have been studied as a function of temperature by STM. The STM images taken at 160K show an ordered structure of adsorbed ethylene. Annealing to 300 K produces ethylidyne (C-CH₃) irreversibly, as has been demonstrated by a wide variety of surface science techniques. The ethylidyne on Pt(111) is not visible to the STM at room temperature. Cooling the sample allows direct observation of the ethylidyne ordered structure by STM. Annealing above 430 K results in further dehydrogenation, eventually leaving only carbon on the surface. The decomposition products appear as small clusters which are localized and uniformly distributed over the surface. Further annealing to temperatures >800 K results in the growth of graphite islands on the Pt(111) surface. The annealed graphite islands exhibit several supersturctures with lattice parameters of up to 22 Å, which are thought to result from the higher order commensurability with the Pt(111) substrate at different relative rotations.     

Bias voltage dependent shift of the atomic-scale structure of a Ge(111)-(2 × 1) reconstructed surface measured by low temperature scanning tunneling microscopy

The results of low temperature scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) investigations of a clean Ge(111) surface are presented. Bias dependent shifts of the atomic-scale structure caused by the (2 × 1) reconstruction of the Ge(111) surface are observed. A detailed comparison of experimental data with theoretical predictions based on the π-bonded chain model indicates that inelastic tip-sample interaction plays a significant role in STM imaging of the Ge(111)-(2 × 1) reconstructed surface. The text was submitted by the authors in English.     

Metallic nature of the alpha-Sn/Ge(111) surface down to 2.5 K

Low temperature (down to 2.5 K) scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and spectroscopy (STS) measurements are presented to assess the nature of the alpha-Sn/Ge(111) surface. Bias-dependent STM and STS measurements have been used to demonstrate that such a surface preserves a metallic 3 x 3 reconstruction at very low temperature. A tip-surface interaction mechanism becomes active below about 20 K at the alpha-Sn/Ge(111) surface, resulting in an apparent unbuckled (sqrt[3] x sqrt[3]) reconstruction when filled states STM images are acquired with tunneling currents higher than 0.2 nA.     

用扫描隧道显微镜测量局域功函数

用扫描隧道显微镜在Cu（111）-Au和Pt（111）-Ag表面上对局域功函数进行了测量．在扫描的同时通过测量隧道电流对针尖样品间距离变化的响应，可以在得到扫描隧道显微镜（STM）图的同时得到功函数图．用这种方法，成功地观察到Au，Ag覆盖层与Cu，Pt衬底间的功函数的差别．结果表明：Au覆盖层的功函数介于Cu（111）和Au（111）的功函数之间，这与其它方法的结果一致．在Pt（111）-Ag表面观察到了局域功函数随覆盖层厚度的变化．本工作表明：扫描隧道显微镜在研究功函数与表面结构的关系方面是十分有用的；用测量局域功函数的方法还可以区分表面不同种的物质 关键词：     

Initial stages of praseodymium growth on Si(111): morphology and electronic structure

An STM study of the Pr---Si(111)-(7 × 7) interface reveals a much more heterogeneous growth morphology than is suggested by diffraction techniques and spectroscopies which average over the surface. Deposition of 1 ML followed by annealing at 650°C gives the most orderly growth, but this falls short of 2D epitaxy. At high temperatures (> 1000°C), the small amount of rare earth remaining on the surface stabilises some novel Si(111) surface reconstructions.     

Structural properties of size-selected FeCo nanoparticles deposited on W(110)

Size-selected iron and iron–cobalt alloy clusters have been studied with high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). The clusters were produced by a continuously working arc cluster ion source and subsequently size-selected by an electrostatic quadrupole deflector. The crystalline structure of pure clusters has been investigated with HRTEM to ensure a reliable determination of the lattice parameter for the alloy clusters. The composition of the alloy clusters was checked with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). The height of the deposited FeCo clusters on the (110) surface of tungsten was determined via STM. These results were compared with the lateral size distribution being investigated by TEM and allow a conclusion on the shape of the deposited alloy clusters. Furthermore, the behavior of the alloy clusters on the W(110) surface at elevated temperatures has been examined, at which the clusters show anisotropic spreading.