Oscillatory Bias Dependence of Visible Height of Monatomic Pb(111) Steps: Consequence of Quantum-Size Effect for Thin Metallic Films

TL;DR

This study reveals that the visible height of monatomic Pb(111) steps oscillates with bias voltage due to quantum-size effects, driven by resonant tunneling through quantum-well states in thin films.

Contribution

It demonstrates the oscillatory dependence of step height on bias voltage and links it to quantum-well states and resonant tunneling in thin Pb(111) films.

Findings

Visible height oscillates with bias voltage.

Oscillation period matches conductance and tip displacement oscillations.

Resonant tunneling through quantum-well states controls height variations.

Abstract

Local structural and electronic properties of thin Pb(111) films grown on Si(111)7x7 surface are experimentally studied by means of low-temperature scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy (STM/STS). It is shown that the visible height $h$ of the monatomic step on Pb(111) surface demonstrates oscillatory dependence on bias voltage $U$. The period of these oscillations coincides with the period of the oscillations of both local tunneling conductance ($dI/dU$) and the rate of the STM tip displacement ($dZ/dU$) at sweeping $U$. It points to the fact that the observed oscillations of the visible height of monatomic Pb(111) step are controlled by coherent resonant tunneling of electrons from the STM tip to Pb(111) film through quantum-well states in thin Pb(111) film. We argue that the maximum and minimum visible heights of the monatomic Pb(111) step correspond to the bias voltages, at which local densities of states for the Pb(111) terraces of different thicknesses are equal.