arXiv subjects

Eugene E. Krasovskii

Publications and source records attributed to Eugene E. Krasovskii.

7 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Large differential attosecond delays in solid state photoemission

Time-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy provides access to the electronic structure and non-equilibrium electron dynamics in matter. At solid surfaces photoemission dynamics can be investigated on its natural time scale by measuring attosecond time delays of emitted electrons. Photoelectrons with final state energies of several tens of eV need tens to hundreds of attoseconds to be released into the vacuum. Competing effects determine the emission dynamics and, hence, the full picture of the process is still under debate. The rather large energy differences between the final states probed in commonly reported relative photoemission delays obscure their complex fine structure and hinders the interpretation of the measurements. Here we report differential attosecond delays $τ_{\mathrm{DAD}}$, i.e., relative photoemission delays for energetically close-lying spin-orbit split states. Differential attosecond delays on the order of 30 to 100 as for Bi 5d, Te 4d, and Se 3d core level photoemission from Bi$_2$Te$_3$ and Bi$_2$Se$_3$ can neither be attributed to intra-atomic delays, nor to ballistic transport and subsequent emission. Instead, calculations based on the one-step photoemission theory reveal that photoemission delays vary strongly on the energy scale of the spin-orbit splitting and quantitatively match experimental observations. This strong variation arises from multiple scattering at the surface leading to final states that involve both evanescent and propagating Bloch waves. Their relative amplitudes vary strongly affecting thereby the timing of the photoemission event since evanescent and propagating components exhibit inherently different dynamics.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2022

Low-Energy Electron Microscopy contrast of stacking boundaries: comparing twisted few-layer graphene and strained epitaxial graphene on silicon carbide

Stacking domain boundaries occur in Van der Waals heterostacks whenever there is a twist angle or lattice mismatch between subsequent layers. Not only can these domain boundaries host topological edge states, imaging them has been instrumental to determine local variations in twisted bilayer graphene. Here, we analyse the mechanisms causing stacking domain boundary contrast in Bright Field Low-Energy Electron Microscopy (BF-LEEM) for both graphene on SiC, where domain boundaries are caused by strain and for twisted few layer graphene. We show that when domain boundaries are between the top two graphene layers, BF-LEEM contrast is observed due to amplitude contrast and corresponds well to calculations of the contrast based purely on the local stacking in the domain boundary. Conversely, for deeper-lying domain boundaries, amplitude contrast only provides a weak distinction between the inequivalent stackings in the domains themselves. However, for small domains phase contrast, where electrons from different parts of the unit cell interfere causes a very strong contrast. We derive a general rule-of-thumb of expected BF-LEEM contrast for domain boundaries in Van der Waals materials.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2021

Imaging moiré deformation and dynamics in twisted bilayer graphene

In twisted bilayer graphene (TBG) a moiré pattern forms that introduces a new length scale to the material. At the 'magic' twist angle of 1.1°, this causes a flat band to form, yielding emergent properties such as correlated insulator behavior and superconductivity [1-4]. In general, the moiré structure in TBG varies spatially, influencing the local electronic properties [5-9] and hence the outcome of macroscopic charge transport experiments. In particular, to understand the wide variety observed in the phase diagrams and critical temperatures, a more detailed understanding of the local moiré variation is needed [10]. Here, we study spatial and temporal variations of the moiré pattern in TBG using aberration-corrected Low Energy Electron Microscopy (AC-LEEM) [11,12]. The spatial variation we find is lower than reported previously. At 500°C, we observe thermal fluctuations of the moiré lattice, corresponding to collective atomic displacements of less than 70pm on a time scale of seconds [13], homogenizing the sample. Despite previous concerns, no untwisting of the layers is found, even at temperatures as high as 600°C [14,15]. From these observations, we conclude that thermal annealing can be used to decrease the local disorder in TBG samples. Finally, we report the existence of individual edge dislocations in the atomic and moiré lattice. These topological defects break translation symmetry and are anticipated to exhibit unique local electronic properties.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2018

Measuring the Local Twist Angle and Layer Arrangement in Van der Waals Heterostructures

The properties of Van der Waals heterostructures are determined by the twist angle and the interface between adjacent layers as well as their polytype and stacking. Here we describe the use of spectroscopic Low Energy Electron Microscopy (LEEM) and micro Low Energy Electron Diffraction (μLEED) methods to measure these properties locally. We present results on a MoS$_{2}$/hBN heterostructure, but the methods are applicable to other materials. Diffraction spot analysis is used to assess the benefits of using hBN as a substrate. In addition, by making use of the broken rotational symmetry of the lattice, we determine the cleaving history of the MoS$_{2}$ flake, i.e., which layer stems from where in the bulk.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2017

Electron energy-loss spectroscopy of quasi-two-dimensional crystals: Beyond the energy-loss functions formalism

A consistent theory of electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS) includes two indispensable elements: (i) electronic response of the target system and (ii) quantum kinematics of probing electrons. While for the bulk materials and their surfaces separating these two aspects and focusing on the former is the usual satisfactory practice (the energy-loss functions formalism), we show that, for quasi-2D crystals, the interplay of the system's electronic response and the details of the probe's motion affects EEL spectra dramatically, and it must be taken into account for the reliable interpretation of the experiment. To this end, we come up with a unified theory which, on the same footing, treats both the long- and short-range scattering, within both the transmission and reflection experimental setups. Our calculations performed for graphene reveal a phenomenon of a strong coupling between the $π+σ$ plasmon excitation and elastic {\it scattering resonances}. Freed from the conventions of the energy-loss functions formalism, our theory serves as a consistent and systematic means of the understanding of the EELS of quasi-2D materials.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2017

Strong Linear Dichroism in Spin-Polarized Photoemission from Spin-Orbit-Coupled Surface States

A comprehensive understanding of spin-polarized photoemission is crucial for accessing the electronic structure of spin-orbit coupled materials. Yet, the impact of the final state in the photoemission process on the photoelectron spin has been difficult to assess in these systems. We present experiments for the spin-orbit split states in a Bi-Ag surface alloy showing that the alteration of the final state with energy may cause a complete reversal of the photoelectron spin polarization. We explain the effect on the basis of ab initio one-step photoemission theory and describe how it originates from linear dichroism in the angular distribution of photoelectrons. Our analysis shows that the modulated photoelectron spin polarization reflects the intrinsic spin density of the surface state being sampled differently depending on the final state, and it indicates linear dichroism as a natural probe of spin-orbit coupling at surfaces.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2012

Self-limited oxide formation in Ni(111) oxidation

The oxidation of the Ni(111) surface is studied experimentally with low energy electron microscopy and theoretically by calculating the electron reflectivity for realistic models of the NiO/Ni(111) surface with an ab-initio scattering theory. Oxygen exposure at 300 K under ultrahigh-vacuum conditions leads to the formation of a continuous NiO(111)-like film consisting of nanosized domains. At 750 K, we observe the formation of a nano-heterogeneous film composed primarily of NiO(111)-like surface oxide nuclei, which exhibit virtually the same energy-dependent reflectivity as in the case of 300 K and which are separated by oxygen-free Ni(111) terraces. The scattering theory explains the observed normal incidence reflectivity R(E) of both the clean and the oxidized Ni(111) surface. At low energies R(E) of the oxidized surface is determined by a forbidden gap in the k_parallel=0 projected energy spectrum of the bulk NiO crystal. However, for both low and high temperature oxidation a rapid decrease of the reflectivity in approaching zero kinetic energy is experimentally observed. This feature is shown to characterize the thickness of the oxide layer, suggesting an average oxide thickness of two NiO layers.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗