High resolution scanning tunneling microscopy studies of quasicrystal surfaces: an efficient tool to investigate quasiperiodic atomic structures

High resolution scanning tunneling microscopy (HRSTM) images of i-Al–Pd–Mn reveal wide flat terraces along the 5-fold (5f) direction with quasiperiodic atomic arrangements that are consistent with the expected structure of the dense pure aluminum planes of the bulk material as defined by 6D-models. This makes encouraging the exploration by HRSTM of a QC surface to better understand its 3D real quasiperiodic atomic structure.