arXiv subjects

S. Modesti

Publications and source records attributed to S. Modesti.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2021

Low-Temperature Insulating Phase of the Si(111)--7$\times$7 Surface

We investigated the electronic structure of the Si(111)--7$\times$7 surface below 20 K by scanning tunneling and photoemission spectroscopies and by density functional theory calculations. Previous experimental studies have questioned the ground state of this surface, which is expected to be metallic in a band picture because of the odd number of electrons per unit cell. Our differential conductance spectra instead show the opening of an energy gap at the Fermi level and a significant temperature dependence of the electronic properties, especially for the adatoms at the center of the unfaulted half of the unit cell. Complementary photoemission spectra with improved correction of the surface photovoltage shift corroborate the differential conductance data and demonstrate the absence of surface bands crossing the Fermi level at 17 K. These consistent experimental observations point to an insulating ground state and contradict the prediction of a metallic surface obtained by density functional theory in the generalized gradient approximation. The calculations indicate that this surface has or is near a magnetic instability, but remains metallic in the magnetic phases even including correlation effects at mean-field level. We discuss possible origins of the observed discrepancies between experiments and calculations.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2019

Proximity-induced ferromagnetism and chemical reactivity in few layers VSe2 heterostructures

Among Transition-Metal Dichalcogenides, mono and few-layers thick VSe2 has gained much recent attention following claims of intrinsic room-temperature ferromagnetism in this system, which have nonetheless proved controversial. Here, we address the magnetic and chemical properties of Fe/VSe2 heterostructure by combining element sensitive absorption spectroscopy and photoemission spectroscopy. Our x-ray magnetic circular dichroism results confirm recent findings that both native mono/few-layer and bulk VSe2 do not show any signature of an intrinsic ferromagnetic ordering. Nonetheless, we find that ferromagnetism can be induced, even at room temperature, after coupling with a Fe thin film layer, with antiparallel alignment of the moment on the V with respect to Fe. We further consider the chemical reactivity at the Fe/VSe2 interface and its relation with interfacial magnetic coupling.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2009

Correction of systematic errors in scanning tunnelling spectra on semiconductor surfaces: the energy gap of Si(111)-7x7 at 0.3 K

The investigation of the electronic properties of semiconductor surfaces using scanning tunnelling spectroscopy (STS) is often hindered by non-equilibrium transport of the injected charge carriers. We propose a correction method for the resulting systematic errors in STS data, which is demonstrated for the well known Si(111)-(7x7) surface. The surface has an odd number of electrons per surface unit cell and is metallic above 20 K. We observe an energy gap in the ground state of this surface by STS at 0.3 K. After correction, the measured width of the gap is (70 +- 15) meV which is compatible with previous less precise estimates. No sharp peak of the density of states at the Fermi level is observed, in contrast to proposed models for the Si(111)-(7x7) surface.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2007

Computational and experimental imaging of Mn defects on GaAs (110) cross-sectional surface

We present a combined experimental and computational study of the (110) cross-sectional surface of Mn $\delta$-doped GaAs samples. We focus our study on three different selected Mn defect configurations not previously studied in details, namely surface interstitial Mn, isolated and in pairs, and substitutional Mn atoms on cationic sites (Mn$_{\rm Ga}$) in the first subsurface layer. The sensitivity of the STM images to the specific local environment allows to distinguish between Mn interstitials with nearest neighbor As atoms (Int$_{\rm As}$) rather than Ga atoms (Int$_{\rm Ga}$), and to identify the fingerprint of peculiar satellite features around subsurface substitutional Mn. The simulated STM maps for Int$_{\rm As}$, both isolated and in pairs, and Mn$_{\rm Ga}$ in the first subsurface layer are consistent with some experimental images hitherto not fully characterized.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2001

Determination of the (3x3)-Sn/Ge(111) structure by photoelectron diffraction

At a coverage of about 1/3 monolayer, Sn deposited on Ge(111) below 550 forms a metastable (sqrt3 x sqrt3)R30 phase. This phase continuously and reversibly transforms into a (3x3) one, upon cooling below 200 K. The photoemission spectra of the Sn 4d electrons from the (3x3)-Sn/Ge(111) surface present two components which are attributed to inequivalent Sn atoms in T4 bonding sites. This structure has been explored by photoelectron diffraction experiments performed at the ALOISA beamline of the Elettra storage ring in Trieste (Italy). The modulation of the intensities of the two Sn components, caused by the backscattering of the underneath Ge atoms, has been measured as a function of the emission angle at fixed kinetic energies and viceversa. The bond angle between Sn and its nearest neighbour atoms in the first Ge layer (Sn-Ge1) has been measured by taking polar scans along the main symmetry directions and it was found almost equivalent for the two components. The corresponding bond lengths are also quite similar, as obtained by studying the dependence on the photoelectron kinetic energy, while keeping the photon polarization and the collection direction parallel to the Sn-Ge1 bond orientation (bond emission). A clear difference between the two bonding sites is observed when studying the energy dependence at normal emission, where the sensitivity to the Sn height above the Ge atom in the second layer is enhanced. This vertical distance is found to be 0.3 Angstroms larger for one Sn atom out of the three contained in the lattice unit cell. The (3x3)-Sn/Ge(111) is thus characterized by a structure where the Sn atom and its three nearest neighbour Ge atoms form a rather rigid unit that presents a strong vertical distortion with respect to the underneath atom of the second Ge layer.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2001

The order-disorder character of the (3x3) to (sqrt3 x sqrt3)R30° phase transition of Sn on Ge(111)

Growing attention has been drawn in the past years to the \alpha-phase (1/3 monolayer) of Sn on Ge(111), which undergoes a transition from the low temperature (3x3) phase to the room temperature (\sqrt3 x \sqrt3)R30° one. On the basis of scanning tunnelling microscopy experiments, this transition was claimed to be the manifestation of a surface charge density wave (SCDW), i.e. a periodic redistribution of charge, possibly accompanied by a periodic lattice distortion, which determines a change of the surface symmetry. Recent He diffraction studies of the (3x3) long range order have shown the transition to be of the order-disorder type with a critical temperature Tc=220 K and belonging to the 3-state Potts' universality class. These findings clearly exclude an SCDW driven mechanism at 220 K, but they cannot exclude the occurence of a displacive transition at higher temperature. Here we present photoelectron diffraction data taken at 300 K and photoemission data taken up to 500 K (which is the maximum temperature where the (\sqrt3 x \sqrt3)R30° is stable) . From our analysis it is shown that the atomic structure of the Sn overlayer does not change throughout the transition up to 500 K. As a consequence the displacive hypothesis must be discarded in favour of a genuine order-disorder model.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗