Electronic effects in scanning tunneling microscopy: Moire pattern on a graphite surface

Journal Article · Wed Dec 15 04:00:00 EST 1993 · Physical Review, B: Condensed Matter; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.48.17427· OSTI ID:5741433

Rong, Z Y; Kuiper, P ^[1]

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1. Physics Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, New York 11973 (United States)

We observed by scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) a hexagonal superlattice on graphite with a period of 66 A. Direct measurement of the angle between lattice vectors confirmed that the superlattice is a Moire pattern caused by a 2.1[degree] rotation of the topmost (0001) plane with respect to the bulk. The STM corrugation of 2.6 A is not due to physical buckling, but to differences in electronic structure between [ital AA]-stacked, normal [ital AB]-stacked, and rhombohedral [ital CAB]-stacked graphite. The high tunneling current of [ital AA]-stacked regions is in agreement with the high density of states at the Fermi level calculated for [ital AA] graphite. The Moire pattern changes, both the amplitude and the shape, with bias voltage. The observation provides a basis for a comparative study of surface electronic structures with different subsurface layer configuration, which is a vital test of our understanding of STM.

• DOE Contract Number: AC02-76CH00016
• OSTI ID: 5741433
• Journal Information: Physical Review, B: Condensed Matter; (United States), Journal Name: Physical Review, B: Condensed Matter; (United States) Vol. 48:23; ISSN PRBMDO; ISSN 0163-1829
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360602* -- Other Materials-- Structure & Phase Studies
CARBON
CONFIGURATION
ELECTRONIC STRUCTURE
ELEMENTAL MINERALS
ELEMENTS
ENERGY LEVELS
FERMI LEVEL
GRAPHITE
HEXAGONAL CONFIGURATION
MINERALS
NONMETALS
SUPERLATTICES
SURFACE PROPERTIES
TWINNING