129 research outputs found
One-dimensional potential for image-potential states on graphene
In the framework of dielectric theory the static non-local self-energy of an
electron near an ultra-thin polarizable layer has been calculated and applied
to study binding energies of image-states near free-standing graphene. The
corresponding series of eigenvalues and eigenfunctions have been obtained by
solving numerically the one-dimensional Schr{\"o}dinger equation.
Image-potential-state wave functions accumulate most of their probability
outside the slab. We find that a Random Phase Approximation (RPA) for the
non-local dielectric function yields a superior description for the potential
inside the slab, but a simple Fermi-Thomas theory can be used to get a
reasonable quasi-analytical approximation to the full RPA result that can be
computed very economically. Binding energies of the image-potential states
follow a pattern close to the Rydberg series for a perfect metal with the
addition of intermediate states due to the added symmetry of the potential. The
formalism only requires a minimal set of free parameters; the slab width and
the electronic density. The theoretical calculations are compared to
experimental results for work function and image-potential states obtained by
two-photon photoemission.Comment: 24 pages; 10 figures. arXiv admin note: text overlap with
arXiv:1301.448
Direct resolution of unoccupied states in solids via two photon photoemission
Non-linear effects in photoemission are shown to open a new access to the
band structure of unoccupied states in solids, totally different from hitherto
used photoemission spectroscopy. Despite its second-order nature, strong
resonant transitions occur, obeying exact selection rules of energy, crystal
symmetry, and momentum. Ab-initio calculations are used to demonstrate that
such structures are present in low-energy laser spectroscopy experimental
measurements on Si previously published. Similar resonances are expected in
ultraviolet angle-resolved photoemission spectra, as shown in a model
calculation on Al.Comment: 12 pages, including 4 figure
Quantum Coherence of Image-Potential States
The quantum dynamics of the two-dimensional image-potential states in front
of the Cu(100) surface is measured by scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and
spectroscopy (STS). The dispersion relation and the momentum resolved
phase-relaxation time of the first image-potential state are determined from
the quantum interference patterns in the local density of states (LDOS) at step
edges. It is demonstrated that the tip-induced Stark shift does not affect the
motion of the electrons parallel to the surface.Comment: Submitted to Phys. Rev. Lett., 4 pages, 4 figures; corrected typos,
minor change
Self-energy and lifetime of Shockley and image states on Cu(100) and Cu(111): Beyond the GW approximation of many-body theory
We report many-body calculations of the self-energy and lifetime of Shockley
and image states on the (100) and (111) surfaces of Cu that go beyond the
approximation of many-body theory. The self-energy is computed in the framework
of the GW\Gamma approximation by including short-range exchange-correlation
(XC) effects both in the screened interaction W (beyond the random-phase
approximation) and in the expansion of the self-energy in terms of W (beyond
the GW approximation). Exchange-correlation effects are described within
time-dependent density-functional theory from the knowledge of an adiabatic
nonlocal XC kernel that goes beyond the local-density approximation.Comment: 8 pages, 5 figures, to appear in Phys. Rev.
The role of surface plasmons in the decay of image-potential states on silver surfaces
The combined effect of single-particle and collective surface excitations in
the decay of image-potential states on Ag surfaces is investigated, and the
origin of the long-standing discrepancy between experimental measurements and
previous theoretical predictions for the lifetime of these states is
elucidated. Although surface-plasmon excitation had been expected to reduce the
image-state lifetime, we demonstrate that the subtle combination of the spatial
variation of s-d polarization in Ag and the characteristic non-locality of
many-electron interactions near the surface yields surprisingly long
image-state lifetimes, in agreement with experiment.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures, to appear in Phys. Rev. Let
Ultrafast Optical Excitation of a Persistent Surface-State Population in the Topological Insulator Bi2Se3
Using femtosecond time- and angle- resolved photoemission spectroscopy, we
investigated the nonequilibrium dynamics of the topological insulator Bi2Se3.
We studied p-type Bi2Se3, in which the metallic Dirac surface state and bulk
conduction bands are unoccupied. Optical excitation leads to a meta-stable
population at the bulk conduction band edge, which feeds a nonequilibrium
population of the surface state persisting for >10ps. This unusually long-lived
population of a metallic Dirac surface state with spin texture may present a
channel in which to drive transient spin-polarized currents
Unoccupied Topological States on Bismuth Chalcogenides
The unoccupied part of the band structure of topological insulators
BiTeSe () is studied by angle-resolved two-photon
photoemission and density functional theory. For all surfaces
linearly-dispersing surface states are found at the center of the surface
Brillouin zone at energies around 1.3 eV above the Fermi level. Theoretical
analysis shows that this feature appears in a spin-orbit-interaction induced
and inverted local energy gap. This inversion is insensitive to variation of
electronic and structural parameters in BiSe and BiTeSe. In
BiTe small structural variations can change the character of the local
energy gap depending on which an unoccupied Dirac state does or does not exist.
Circular dichroism measurements confirm the expected spin texture. From these
findings we assign the observed state to an unoccupied topological surface
state
Lifetimes of image-potential states on copper surfaces
The lifetime of image states, which represent a key quantity to probe the
coupling of surface electronic states with the solid substrate, have been
recently determined for quantum numbers on Cu(100) by using
time-resolved two-photon photoemission in combination with the coherent
excitation of several states (U. H\"ofer et al, Science 277, 1480 (1997)). We
here report theoretical investigations of the lifetime of image states on
copper surfaces. We evaluate the lifetimes from the knowledge of the
self-energy of the excited quasiparticle, which we compute within the GW
approximation of many-body theory. Single-particle wave functions are obtained
by solving the Schr\"odinger equation with a realistic one-dimensional model
potential, and the screened interaction is evaluated in the random-phase
approximation (RPA). Our results are in good agreement with the experimentally
determined decay times.Comment: 4 pages, 1 figure, to appear in Phys. Rev. Let
Trapping Surface Electrons on Graphene Layers and Islands
We report the use of time- and angle-resolved two-photon photoemission to map
the bound, unoccupied electronic structure of the weakly coupled
graphene/Ir(111) system. The energy, dispersion, and lifetime of the lowest
three image-potential states are measured. In addition, the weak interaction
between Ir and graphene permits observation of resonant transitions from an
unquenched Shockley-type surface state of the Ir substrate to graphene/Ir
image-potential states. The image-potential-state lifetimes are comparable to
those of mid-gap clean metal surfaces. Evidence of localization of the excited
electrons on single-atom-layer graphene islands is provided by
coverage-dependent measurements
Electronic structure of superconducting graphite intercalate compounds: The role of the interlayer state
Although not an intrinsic superconductor, it has been long--known that, when
intercalated with certain dopants, graphite is capable of exhibiting
superconductivity. Of the family of graphite--based materials which are known
to superconduct, perhaps the most well--studied are the alkali metal--graphite
intercalation compounds (GIC) and, of these, the most easily fabricated is the
CK system which exhibits a transition temperature K. By increasing the alkali metal concentration (through high pressure
fabrication techniques), the transition temperature has been shown to increase
to as much as K in CNa. Lately, in an important recent
development, Weller \emph{et al.} have shown that, at ambient conditions, the
intercalated compounds \cyb and \cca exhibit superconductivity with transition
temperatures K and K respectively, in excess
of that presently reported for other graphite--based compounds. We explore the
architecture of the states near the Fermi level and identify characteristics of
the electronic band structure generic to GICs. As expected, we find that charge
transfer from the intercalant atoms to the graphene sheets results in the
occupation of the --bands. Yet, remarkably, in all those -- and only
those -- compounds that superconduct, we find that an interlayer state, which
is well separated from the carbon sheets, also becomes occupied. We show that
the energy of the interlayer band is controlled by a combination of its
occupancy and the separation between the carbon layers.Comment: 4 Figures. Please see accompanying experimental manuscript
"Superconductivity in the Intercalated Graphite Compounds C6Yb and C6Ca" by
Weller et a
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