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No description available.

The electronic and geometrical structure of single difluoro-bora-1,3,5,7-tetraphenyl-aza-dipyrromethene (aza-BODIPY) molecules adsorbed on the Au(111) surface is investigated by low temperature scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy in conjunction with ab initio density functional theory simulations of the density of states and of the interaction with the substrate. Our DFT calculations indicate that the aza-BODIPY molecule forms a chemical bond with the Au(111) substrate, with distortion of the molecular geometry and significant charge transfer between the molecule and the substrate. Nevertheless, most likely due to the low corrugation of the Au(111) surface, diffusion of the molecule is observed for applied bias in excess of 1 V. / Dieser Beitrag ist mit Zustimmung des Rechteinhabers aufgrund einer (DFG-geförderten) Allianz- bzw. Nationallizenz frei zugänglich.

A coupling-limited approach for the Ullmann reaction-like on-surface synthesis of a two-dimensional covalent organic network starting from a halogenated metallo-porphyrin is demonstrated. Copper-octabromo-tetraphenylporphyrin molecules can diffuse and self-assemble when adsorbed on the inert Au(111) surface. Splitting-off of bromine atoms bonded at the macrocyclic core of the porphyrin starts at room temperature after the deposition and is monitored by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy for different annealing steps. Direct coupling between the reactive carbon sites of the molecules is, however, hindered by the molecular shape. This leads initially to an ordered non-covalently interconnected supramolecular structure. Further heating to 300 °C and an additional hydrogen dissociation step is required to link the molecular macrocycles via a phenyl group and form large ordered polymeric networks. This approach leads to a close-packed covalently bonded network of overall good quality. The structures are characterized using scanning tunneling microscopy. Different kinds of lattice defects and, furthermore, the impact of polymerization on the HOMO–LUMO gap are discussed. Density functional theory calculations corroborate the interpretations and give further insight into the adsorption of the debrominated molecule on the surface and the geometry and coupling reaction of the polymeric structure. / Dieser Beitrag ist aufgrund einer (DFG-geförderten) Allianz- bzw. Nationallizenz frei zugänglich.

In this thesis, graphene (i.e. monolayer carbon film) and carbon clusters supported on a transition metal surface are systematically studied by local probe techniques, with respect to their structures, electronic properties and formation mechanisms. The main tools used are low-temperature scanning tunnelling microscopy and spectroscopy (STM and STS), which are introduced in Chapter 2. The mechanism of the resonance tunnelling at electron energies higher than the work function of the surface is discussed in detail, and a qualitative explanation of the Gundlach oscillations in the corresponding spectroscopy is presented. Epitaxial graphene synthesised on the Rh(111) surface by ethylene dehydrogenation is investigated by STM in Chapter 4. Such carbon film exhibits a hexagonal Moiré pattern due to a lattice mismatch between graphene and the rhodium substrate. The periodicity and local registries of the graphene/Rh(111) superstructure are carefully analysed. Based on a thorough discussion about the “commensurate vs. incommensurate” nature of the Moiré pattern in surface science field, the graphene/Rh(111) system is identified to have a non-simple-commensurate superstructure. The surface electronic properties and geometric buckling of graphene/Rh(111) are investigated by resonance tunnelling spectroscopy (RTS) and density functional theory (DFT) calculations in Chapter 5. Spectroscopy measurements reveal a modulation of the electronic surface potential (or work function Φ) across the supercell of epitaxial graphene. Based on the microscopy/spectroscopy data and the extended DFT calculations, we examined the electronic coupling of the various local C-Rh registries, and identified both experimentally and theoretically the local atomic configurations of maximum and minimum chemical bonding between graphene and the rhodium substrate. We studied in Chapter 6 the growth mechanism of graphene on Rh(111) at elevated temperatures. This part starts by investigating the dehydrogenation of ethylene into ethylidyne. When the dehydrogenation process is complete, monodispersed carbon species, identified as 7C6, are found to dominate the cluster population on the rhodium terraces. A significant coalescence of the 7C6 clusters into graphene islands occurs at temperatures higher than 873 K. The structural and electronic properties of the 7C6 carbon clusters are examined by high-resolution STM and STS, and compared with coronene molecules, i.e. the hydrogenated analogues of 7C6. DFT calculations are further used to explain the stability of 7C6 supported on the Rh(111) surface, and also the structural characteristics of such magic-sized carbon clusters.

Thèse numérisée par la Division de la gestion de documents et des archives de l'Université de Montréal.

La physique mésoscopique est actuellement dominée par des mesures de transport permettant d'extraire les propriétés électroniques globales des systèmes étudiés. La spectroscopie tunnel permet d'avoir un accès direct à la densité d'états locale (LDOS). Nous pouvons donc sonder les évolutions spatiale des propriétés électroniques notamment à l'interface entre 2 matériaux possédant des propriétés différentes. Au cours de cette thèse, nous avons développé un microscope à sonde locale qui combine microscopie à force atomique (AFM) et microscopie à effet tunnel (STM) et qui fonctionne à 100mK. L'AFM permet de localiser un nanocircuit unique sur un substrat isolant grâce à un Length Extension Resonator (LER). Nous pouvons ensuite mesurer la spectroscopie tunnel locale du nanocircuit conducteur. La résolution énergétique obtenue avec ce système est de 70µeV. Nous avons montré la faisabilité expérimentale d'une telle étude en mesurant l'effet de proximité sur un îlot de cuivre (métal normal) connecté par deux électrodes supraconductrices en aluminium à l'équilibre, hors-équilibre et sous champ magnétique. Nous avons également mesuré la LDOS du graphène sur Ir(111) qui présente des propriétés proches du graphène intrinsèque avec un dopage de type p de l'ordre de 0.34eV. Nous avons observé que ce dopage fluctue spatialement avec la présence de poches de charges avec une taille typique de l'ordre de 9nm. Ces observations sont similaires à des résultats déjà reportés sur des systèmes graphène sur SiO2. Cependant, le profil des poches que nous avons mesuré montre une forte corrélation avec la topographie due à une modulation du potentiel électrostatique induit par le métal sous le graphène. Une analyse plus fine a permis également de réveler la présence d'interférences de quasiparticules se traduisant par une inhomogénéité de la DOS. La taille typique des structures est de l'ordre de la longueur d'onde de Fermi avec une dépendance linéaire avec l'énergie selon E=ħvFk avec vF = 8.3±0.7x10^5m/s proche de la vitesse de Fermi théorique de 1x10^6m/s. Cela met évidence la présence de diffusion intravallée et prouve le caractère de fermions de Dirac sans masse des particules du graphène sur Ir(111). / Mesoscopic physic is currently dominated by transport measurements that extract overall electronic properties of the studied sytstems. Tunneling spectroscopy gives access to the local density of states (LDOS). Hence, we can probe the spatial evolution of the electronic properties especially at the interface between two materials with different properties. During this thesis, we built-up a scanning probe microscope at 100mK that combine both atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). AFM helps to locate a single nanocircuit on insulating substrate thanks to a Length Extension Resonator (LER). We can then measure the tunneling spectroscopy on the conductive nanocircuit. The energy resolution of the system is of 70µeV. We show the experimental proof of such a system by measuring the proximity effect in copper island (normal island) connected by two superconducting leads in aluminum at equilibrium, out of equilibrium and with a magnetic field. We also measured the LDOS of graphene on Ir(111) that displays electronic properties close to the one of intrinsic graphene with p-doping of about 0.34eV. We observe spatial inhomogeneities of this doping forming charge puddles with a typical size af about 9nm. Those observations are close to previous results reported on graphene on SiO2. However, the profile of the measured puddles shows a strong correlation with the topography due to the modulation of the electrostatic potential induced by the metal below the graphene. A closer look to the DOS shows quasiparticles interferences forming DOS inhomogeneities. The typical size of the DOS structures is of the order of the Fermi wavelength with a linear dependence with energy as E=ħvFk with vF = 8.3±0.7x10^5m/s which is close to the theoretical Fermi velocity of 1x10^6m/s. This point out the presence intravalley scattering and demonstrate the fact that particles in graphene on Ir(111) are Dirac fermions without mass.

Nous présentons un travail expérimental contribuant à l'étude de contacts ponctuels métalliques et moléculaires à l'aide de dispositifs de jonctions brisées développés dans notre équipe. Ces techniques de jonctions brisées, utilisables dans les conditions ambiantes, sont particulièrement adaptées à deux champs disciplinaires : l'électronique moléculaire et la nano mécanique.Nous avons étudié la durée de vie de contacts métalliques d'or, qui excède rarement la dizaine de millisecondes à température ambiante. Par le biais d'une analyse statistique de mesures de conductance, nous montrons que leur durée de vie est limitée par la contrainte mécanique appliquée à la jonction. Ces résultats nous ont permis de proposer un mécanisme de rupture, et de définir des conditions optimales pour la formation des contacts à température ambiante.Nous présentons ensuite une étude préliminaire de mesure de conductance d'une molécule unique, utilisant un dispositif à jonction brisée ainsi qu'un microscope à effet tunnel.Les résultats obtenus indiquent que, si la mesure de la conductance d'une molécule unique est possible, la stabilité observée est à considérer avant d'envisager des applications. / We present here an experimental work which contributes to the study of metallic and molecular point contacts using broken junctions-based devices developed in our team. Under ambient environmental conditions, these techniques are particularly adapted to two disciplinary fields: molecular electronics and nano-mechanics.We have studied the lifetime of gold contacts, which rarely exceed ten milliseconds at room temperature.Through statistical analyses of conductance measurements, we show that this lifetime is limited by the mechanical strain applied to the junction. These results allowed us to propose a breaking mechanism, and to define optimal conditions for the formation of the contacts at room temperature. We present then a preliminary study of conductance measurements of a single molecule, using a broken junction device as well as a scanning tunneling microscope.The results indicate that, despite the conductance measure of a single molecule is possible the observed stability should be considered before envisaging applications.

Technology where a solitary dopant acts as the active component of an opto-electronic device is an emerging  field known as solotronics, and bears the promise to revolutionize the way in which information is stored, processed and transmitted. Magnetic doped semiconductors and in particular (Ga, Mn)As, the archetype of dilute magnetic semiconductors, and topological insulators (TIs), a new phase of quantum matter with unconventional characteristics, are two classes of quantum materials that have the potential to advance spin-electronics technology. The quest to understand and control, at the atomic level, how a few magnetic atoms precisely positioned in a complex environment respond to external stimuli, is the red thread that connects these two quantum materials in the research presented here. The goal of the thesis is in part to elucidate the properties of transition metal (TM) impurities near the surface of GaAs semiconductors with focus on their response to local magnetic and electric fields, as well as to investigate the real-time dynamics of their localized spins. Our theoretical analysis, based on density functional theory (DFT) and using tight-binding (TB) models, addresses the mid-gap electronic structure, the local density of states (LDOS) and the magnetic anisotropy energy of individual Mn and Fe impurities near the (110) surface of GaAs. We investigate the effect of a magnetic field on the Mn acceptor LDOS measured in cross-sectional scanning tunneling microscopy, and provide an explanation of why the experimental LDOS images depend weakly on the field direction despite the strongly anisotropic nature of the Mn acceptor wavefunction. We also investigate the effects of a local electrostatic field generated by nearby charged As vacancies, on individual and pairs of ferromagnetically coupled magnetic dopants near the surface of GaAs, providing a means to control electrically the exchange interaction of Mn pairs. Finally, using the mixed quantum-classical scheme for spin dynamics, we calculate explicitly the time evolution of the Mn spin and its bound acceptor, and analyze the dynamic interaction between pairs of ferromagnetically coupled magnetic impurities in a nanoscaled semiconductor. The second part of the thesis deals with the theoretical investigation of a single substitutional Mn impurity and its associated acceptor state on the (111) surface of Bi2Se3 TI, using an approach that combines DFT and TB calculations. Our analysis clarifies the crucial role played by the spatial overlap and the quasi-resonant coupling between the Mn-acceptor and the topological surface states inside the Bi2Se3 band gap, in the opening of a gap at the Dirac point. Strong electronic correlations are also found to contribute significantly to the mechanism leading to the gap, since they control the hybridization between the p orbitals of nearest-neighbor Se atoms and the acceptor spin-polarization. Our results explain the effects of inversion-symmetry and time-reversal symmetry breaking on the electronic states in the vicinity of the Dirac point, and contribute to clarifying the origin of surface-ferromagnetism in TIs. The promising potential of magnetic-doped TIs accentuates the importance of our contribution to the understanding of the interplay between magnetic order and topological protected surface states.

Diese Arbeit befaßt sich mit der SAW-STM-Methode, einer Abwandlung der Rastertunnelmikroskopie (engl. scanning tunneling microscopy) zur hochauflösenden Abbildung akustischer Oberflächenwellen (engl. surface acoustic wave). Das Meßprinzip des SAW-STM beruht auf der Modulation des Tunnelabstandes und der hieraus resultierenden Modulation des Tunnelstroms durch die oszillatorische Bewegung der Probenoberfläche. Zur einfacheren Signaldetektion wird ein Heterodyn-Verfahren verwendet, das über eine zusätzliche Modulation der Tunnelspannung das SAW-STM Signal in den kHz-Frequenzbereich verschiebt. Dieses trägt die komplette Information über die Amplitude und die Phase der Tunnelabstandsmodulation. Im Rahmen dieser Arbeit wird die Abhängigkeit des SAW-STM Signals von den experimentellen Paramtern und von der Topographie der Probe theoretisch beschrieben und experimentell untersucht. Dies führt zu einer kalibrierten Vermessung der oszillatorischen Bewegungsbahn der SAW-tragenden Probenoberfläche. Das untersuchte Materialsystem ist ein 40 nm dicker Goldfilm auf einem LiNbO3-Substrat im Y-Schnitt, das eine Welle vom Rayleigh-Typ in Z-Richtung trägt. Indem ein SAW-STM entwickelt wird, das im Ultrahochvakuum (UHV) arbeitet, wird die SAW-STM Methode hinsichtlich des Spektrums untersuchbarer reaktiver Materialien und hinsichtlich der Signalstabilität. Es wird der Umbau eines kommerziellen Rastertunnelmikroskops zum SAW-STM beschrieben. Zu diesem Zweck wird eine Probenhalterung konstruiert, die den Transfer der Probe zwischen der Bedampfungseinrichtung und dem STM ohne Belüftung der Kammer erlaubt. Gleichzeitig stellt sie automatisch die fünf notwendigen elektrischen Kontakte zum Probenchip her, wenn die Probenhalterung in das STM gesetzt wird. Weiterhin werden die Konstruktion eines UHV-tauglichen Sytems von Hochfrequenz-Signalleitungen und der Bedampfungseinrichtung zur in-situ Probenpräparation beschrieben. Mit diesem UHV-SAW-STM können SAWs einer Amplitude im Bereich von 0.001 Å bis 1 Å angeregt und detektiert werden. Die maximale Frequenz, die eine im UHV-SAW-STM nachweisbare SAW haben kann, beträgt mindestens 360 MHz. Weiterhin wird das in LabVIEW geschriebenen Softwarepacket zur Auswertung der SAW-STM-Daten vorgestellt. Um die SAW-STM-Methode auf ein sicheres Fundament zu stellen, wurde erstmals systematisch die Abhängigkeit des SAW-STM-Signals von den Meßparametern experimentell untersucht. Die im Rahmen dieser Arbeit entwickelte Theorie des SAW-STM-Signals beschreibt die experimenell gefundenen Abhängigkeiten hinreichend gut. Zentraler Punkt dieser Theorie ist dabei die Berücksichtigung der Abstandsregelung des STM, die im Constant-Current-Modus die Spitzenposition so regelt, daß der mittlere Tunnelstrom konstant ist. Der Vergleich der gemessenen und der theoretischen Abhängigkeit der Signalamplitude von der Amplitude der Modulation des Tunnelabstandes ermöglicht dabei die kalibrierte Messung der Amplitude der vertikale Auslenkung der Rayleighwelle. Scans der SAW-STM-Methode liefern Bilder der Topographie sowie der Amplitude und der Phase des SAW-STM-Signals. Mit der Theorie des SAW-STM-Signal der korrugierten Probenoberfläche werden aus der gemessenen Topographie simulierte Amplituden- und Phasebilder erstellt und mit den gemessenen Bildern verglichen. Während die Übereinstimmung mit den gemessenen Amplitudenbildern nur qualitativer Art ist, erlaubt der quantitative Vergleich zwischen simulierten und gemessenen Phasenbildern die Bestimmung der Exzentrizität der Oszillationsellipse. Zusammen mit der oben erläuterten Messung der vertikalen Auslenkungsamplitude ist somit in dieser Arbeit die Oszillationsellipse der Rayleighwelle vollständig ausgemessen. / This thesis deals with the SAW-STM method, which is a technique based on scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) for the high-resolution mapping of surface acoustic waves (SAW). The measurement principle of the SAW-STM utilizes the modulation of the tunneling distance and the resulting modulation of the tunneling current due to the mechanic oscillation of the sample surface. To facilitate signal detection a heterodyn technique is employed which shifts the measured signal into the kHz-range by adding modulation to the tunneling voltage. The signal contains the entire information about the amplitude and the phase of the SAW-induced tunneling distance modulation. Experiments are presented to investigate the dependence of the signal amplitude on the experimental parameters and on the sample topography. This data is compared to a theory developed to describe the SAW-STM signal, leading to a calibrated measurement of the trajectory of the sample surface which carries the wave. The sample we investigated was a 40 nm gold film deposited on a LiNbO3 substrate in the Y-cut, deformed by a Rayleigh-type wave in the z-direction. To increase signal stability and to extend the range of reactive sample materials we constructed a SAW-STM operating in the ultra-high-vacuum (UHV). In this thesis the conversion of a commercial STM to a SAW-STM is described. A sample holder is constructed, which allows the transfer of the sample between the evaporation stage and the STM without venting the UHV chamber. It provides a contact spring mechanism for the automatical electric contactation of the sample chip, when the sample holder is inserted into the STM. Moreover, we installed a UHV-compatible wiring system for SAW-excitation and for signal detecting and an evaporation stage for in-situ sample preparation. We demonstrate that the UHV-SAW-STM is capable of exiting and detecting surface acoustic waves with an amplitude in the range 0.001 Å to 1 Å. The maximal frequency of SAW which can be studied with the UHV-SAW-STM is found to be at least 360 MHz. For the analysis of SAW-STM data a LabVIEW software package was implemented. To put the SAW-STM technique on a strong basis, we systematically studies the dependence of the SAW-STM signal on the various measurement parameters. The theory of the SAW-STM signal developed in this work is in good agreement with this experimental data. In this theory, we take into account that the STM is operated in the constant-current mode, i.e. the tip position is controlled to keep the average tunneling current constant. The comparison of the measured and the simulated dependence of the signal amplitude on the amplitude of the tunneling distance modulation allows the calibrated measurement of the vertical displacement amplitude of the Rayleigh wave. SAW-STM scans yield images of the topography and of the amplitude and the phase of the SAW-STM signal. Employing the theory of the SAW-STM signal on the corrugated surface, we simulated amplitude and phase imaged based on the measured topography. The agreement between simulated and measured amplitude images is only qualitative. In contrast, the comparison of simulated and measured phase images allows the determination of the excentricity of the oscillation ellipse. Having determined this excentricity and the vertical displacement amplitude of the Rayleigh wave, we have gaind complete knowledge about the geometry of the Rayleigh wave oscillation ellipse.