Real-Space Imaging of Inelastic Friedel-like Surface Oscillations Emerging from Molecular Adsorbates

TL;DR

This study uses scanning tunneling microscopy to visualize inelastic Friedel oscillations caused by molecular vibrations at adsorbates on a metal surface, revealing how local interactions influence surface charge distributions.

Contribution

It provides the first real-space imaging of inelastic Friedel-like oscillations induced by molecular vibrations on a metal surface.

Findings

Clear spatial modulations observed around molecular adsorbates

Oscillations attributed to inelastic scattering at molecular sites

Theoretical support confirms experimental observations

Abstract

We report real space imaging measurements of inelastic Friedel oscillations. The inelastic electron tunneling spectroscopy, using scanning tunneling microscopy, around dimers of dichlorobenze adsorbates on Au(111) surface display clear spatial modulations that we attribute to inelastic scattering at the molecular sites caused by molecular vibrations. Due to local interactions between the adsorbate and the surface states, the molecular vibrations generate a redistribution of the charge density at energies in a narrow range around the inelastic mode. Our experimental findings are supported by theoretical arguments.