Size-dependent surface states of strained cobalt nanoislands on Cu(111)

Rastei, M. V., Heinrich, B., Limot, L., Ignatiev, P. A., Stepanyuk, V. S., Bruno, P., Bucher, J. P.

Physical Review Letters 99, (24), pp 246102/1-4 (2007)

Low-temperature scanning tunneling spectroscopy over Co nanoislands on Cu(111) showed that the surface states of the islands vary with their size. Occupied states exhibit a sizable downward energy shift as the island size decreases. The position of the occupied states also significantly changes across the islands. Atomic-scale simulations and ab initio calculations demonstrate that the driving force for the observed shift is related to size-dependent mesoscopic relaxations in the nanoislands.

Full text :PDF (1019 kB)( for personal use only)
(Reference: TH-2007-27)