In-gap density of states in hole- and electron-doped CuO2 planes probed by scanning tunneling spectroscopy

The low-energy electronic structure of a c-axis Sr_xA_yCuO₂ (A is alkaline earth cation, x+y≦1, hole- and electron-doped infinite layer) thin film, grown by laser-molecular-beam epitaxy on a SrTiO₃ (001) substrate, has been studied using ultrahigh-vacuum scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy. Images have been obtained for co-deposited Sr_xA_yCuO₂ thin films, which show the surface consisting of flat terraces separated by steps that are unit cell high. Tunneling spectra of undoped Sr_0.3Ca_0.7CuO₂ indicate a wide band gap of 1.8 eV which is consistent with the charge transfer gap. Hole-doped Sr_0.85CuO₂ shows in-gap states appearing at both the valence and conduction band edges. In contrast, for the electron-doped Sr_0.9La_0.1CuO₂, in-gap states appear predominantly above the Fermi level, and the spectral shape becomes asymmetric around the Fermi level. When these two systems are compared, barrier-height measurements reveal that there is no apparent shift of the Fermi level measured from the vacuum level. This suggests that the framework of the rigid-band picture might break down implying a strongly correlated electron system. Received: 20 August 1998 / Accepted: 15 February 1999 / Published online: 5 May 1999