Electronic coupling between Bi nanolines and the Si(001) substrate: An experimental and theoretical study

TL;DR

This study combines experimental and theoretical approaches to investigate the electronic coupling between Bi nanolines and the Si(001) substrate, revealing complex interactions that influence their electronic properties.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive analysis of the electronic interactions between Bi nanolines and Si(001), highlighting the importance of substrate effects and phase shifts in their electronic behavior.

Findings

Observation of electronic phase shifts in Bi dimers

Identification of electronic coupling between Bi nanolines and Si substrate

Variation in STM patterns with imaging bias

Abstract

Atomic nanolines are one dimensional systems realized by assembling many atoms on a substrate into long arrays. The electronic properties of the nanolines depend on those of the substrate. Here, we demonstrate that to fully understand the electronic properties of Bi nanolines on clean Si(001) several different contributions must be accounted for. Scanning tunneling microscopy reveals a variety of different patterns along the nanolines as the imaging bias is varied. We observe an electronic phase shift of the Bi dimers, associated with imaging atomic p-orbitals, and an electronic coupling between the Bi nanoline and neighbouring Si dimers, which influences the appearance of both. Understanding the interplay between the Bi nanolines and Si substrate could open a novel route to modifying the electronic properties of the nanolines.