Abstract Scanning tunneling microscopy is utilized to investigate the local-bias- voltage-dependent transformation between (2x1) and c(4x2) structures on Ge(001) surfaces, which is reversibly observed at room temperature and a critical bias voltage of -0.80V. Similar transformation is also found on an epitaxial Ge islands but at a slightly different critical bias voltage of -1.00V. It is found that the interaction between the topmost atoms on the STM tip and the atoms of the dimers, and the pinning effect induced by Sb atoms, the vacancies or the epitaxial clusters, can drive the structural transformation at the critical bias voltage.
Received: 20 March 2008
Revised: 28 April 2008
Accepted manuscript online:
Fund: Project supported by the National
Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos 90406022, 10674159
and 60771037) and the National Basic Research Program of China
(Grant No 2006CB921305).
Cite this article:
Qin Zhi-Hui (秦志辉), Shi Dong-Xia (时东霞), Gao Hong-Jun (高鸿钧) Structural transformation of Ge dimmers on Ge(001) surfaces induced by bias voltage 2008 Chin. Phys. B 17 4580
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