6533b7dafe1ef96bd126e23a
RESEARCH PRODUCT
Bright Beaches of Nanoscale Potassium Islands on Graphite in STM Imaging
Feng YinJaakko AkolaJaakko AkolaPekka KoskinenM. ManninenRichard E. Palmersubject
Materials scienceCondensed matter physicsPotassiumGeneral Physics and Astronomychemistry.chemical_elementField effectNanotechnologyElectronlaw.inventionMetalchemistrylawvisual_artMonolayervisual_art.visual_art_mediumGraphiteScanning tunneling microscopeNanoscopic scaledescription
We demonstrate, via scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) measurements performed at 48 K, the existence of "bright beaches" at the edges of K islands (diameter approximately 5-500 nm) on the graphite surface. The enhanced tunneling current is only observed in monolayer-high islands on graphite, and not in islands of similar geometry on top of a K monolayer film. First-principles density functional calculations and STM simulations suggest that this is an STM field effect, which appears as the positive tip attracts donated electrons back to the metallic K islands. The restored charge accumulates preferentially at the island edges.
| year | journal | country | edition | language |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008-12-22 | Physical Review Letters |