Direct observation of many-body charge density oscillations in a two-dimensional electron gas

Paolo Sessi (), Vyacheslav M. Silkin, Ilya A. Nechaev, Thomas Bathon, Lydia El-Kareh, Evgueni V. Chulkov, Pedro M. Echenique and Matthias Bode
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Paolo Sessi: Physikalisches Institut, Experimentelle Physik II, Universität Würzburg
Vyacheslav M. Silkin: Donostia International Physics Center (DIPC)
Ilya A. Nechaev: Donostia International Physics Center (DIPC)
Thomas Bathon: Physikalisches Institut, Experimentelle Physik II, Universität Würzburg
Lydia El-Kareh: Physikalisches Institut, Experimentelle Physik II, Universität Würzburg
Evgueni V. Chulkov: Donostia International Physics Center (DIPC)
Pedro M. Echenique: Donostia International Physics Center (DIPC)
Matthias Bode: Physikalisches Institut, Experimentelle Physik II, Universität Würzburg

Nature Communications, 2015, vol. 6, issue 1, 1-6

Abstract: Abstract Quantum interference is a striking manifestation of one of the basic concepts of quantum mechanics: the particle-wave duality. A spectacular visualization of this effect is the standing wave pattern produced by elastic scattering of surface electrons around defects, which corresponds to a modulation of the electronic local density of states and can be imaged using a scanning tunnelling microscope. To date, quantum-interference measurements were mainly interpreted in terms of interfering electrons or holes of the underlying band-structure description. Here, by imaging energy-dependent standing-wave patterns at noble metal surfaces, we reveal, in addition to the conventional surface-state band, the existence of an ‘anomalous’ energy band with a well-defined dispersion. Its origin is explained by the presence of a satellite in the structure of the many-body spectral function, which is related to the acoustic surface plasmon. Visualizing the corresponding charge oscillations provides thus direct access to many-body interactions at the atomic scale.

Date: 2015
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DOI: 10.1038/ncomms9691

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