Observation of Quantum-Size Effects at Room Temperature on Metal Surfaces With STM

Surface steps act as confining barriers for electrons in metal-surface states. Thus, narrow terraces and small single-atom-high metal islands act as low-dimensional, electron-confining structures. In sufficiently small structures, quantum-size effects are observable even at room temperature. Scannin...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science) 1994-05, Vol.264 (5161), p.942-945
Main Authors: Avouris, Phaedon, Lyo, In-Whan
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Atomic structure
Electric potential
Electron tunneling
Electronic structure
Electrons
Line spectra
Metal surfaces
Quantum tunneling
Room temperature
Scanning tunneling microscopy
Surface science
Surfaces (Physics)
Terraces
Wave functions
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Summary:Surface steps act as confining barriers for electrons in metal-surface states. Thus, narrow terraces and small single-atom-high metal islands act as low-dimensional, electron-confining structures. In sufficiently small structures, quantum-size effects are observable even at room temperature. Scanning tunneling spectroscopy is used to image the probability amplitude distributions and discrete spectra of the confined states. Examination of the electronic structure of the steps provides evidence for electron-density smoothing and the formation of step-edge states. Estimates of the electron-confining barriers are obtained.
ISSN:0036-8075
1095-9203
DOI:10.1126/science.264.5161.942