@phdthesis{Friedrich2023,
  author    = {Friedrich, Felix},
  title     = {Magnetic Excitations in Single and Coupled Atoms on Surfaces: From the Kondo Effect to Yu-Shiba-Rusinov States},
  doi       = {10.25972/OPUS-32069},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-320699},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t W{\"u}rzburg},
  year      = {2023},
  abstract  = {Magnetic systems underlie the physics of quantum mechanics when reaching the limit of few or even single atoms. This behavior limits the minimum size of magnetic bits in data storage devices as spontaneous switching of the magnetization leads to the loss of information. On the other hand, exactly these quantum mechanic properties allow to use such systems in quantum computers. Proposals to realize qubits involve the spin states of single atoms as well as topologically protected Majorana zero modes, that emerge in coupled systems of magnetic atoms in proximity to a superconductor. In order to implement and control the proposed applications, a detailed understanding of atomic spins and their interaction with the environment is required. In this thesis, two different systems of magnetic adatoms coupled to metallic and superconducting surfaces are studied by means of scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and spectroscopy: Co atoms on the clean Cu(111) were among the first systems exhibiting signatures of the Kondo effect in an individual atom. Yet, a recent theoretical work proposed an alternative interpretation of these early experimental results, involving a newly described many-body state. Spin-averaged and -polarized experiments in high magnetic fields presented in this thesis confirm effects beyond the Kondo effect that determine the physics in these Co atoms and suggest a potentially even richer phenomenology than proposed by theory. The second studied system are single and coupled Fe atoms on the superconducting Nb(110) surface. Magnetic impurities on superconducting surfaces locally induce Yu-Shiba-Rusinov (YSR) states inside the superconducting gap due to their pair breaking potential. Coupled systems of such impurities exhibit YSR bands and, if the bands cross the Fermi level such that the band structure is inverted, host Majorana zero modes. Using the example of Fe atoms on Nb(110), the YSR states' dependence on the adatom-substrate interaction as well as the interatomic YSR state coupling is investigated. In the presence of oxygen on the Nb surface, the adatom-substrate interaction is shown to be heavily modified and the YSR states are found to undergo a quantum phase transition, which can be directly linked to a modified Kondo screening. STM tips functionalized with CO molecules allow to resolve self-assembled one-dimensional chains of Fe atoms on the clean Nb(110) surface to study the YSR states' coupling. Mapping out the states' wave functions reveals their symmetry, which is shown to alter as a function of the states' energy and number of atoms in the chain. These experimental results are reproduced in a simple tight-binding model, demonstrating a straightforward possibility to describe also more complex YSR systems toward engineered, potentially topologically non-trivial states.},
  subject      = {Rastertunnelmikroskopie},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{Reis2022,
  author    = {Reis, Felix},
  title     = {Realization and Spectroscopy of the Quantum Spin Hall Insulator Bismuthene on Silicon Carbide},
  doi       = {10.25972/OPUS-25825},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-258250},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t W{\"u}rzburg},
  year      = {2022},
  abstract  = {Topological matter is one of the most vibrant research fields of contemporary solid state physics since the theoretical prediction of the quantum spin Hall effect in graphene in 2005. Quantum spin Hall insulators possess a vanishing bulk conductivity but symmetry-protected, helical edge states that give rise to dissipationless charge transport. The experimental verification of this exotic state of matter in 2007 lead to a boost of research activity in this field, inspired by possible ground-breaking future applications. However, the use of the quantum spin Hall materials available to date is limited to cryogenic temperatures owing to their comparably small bulk band gaps. In this thesis, we follow a novel approach to realize a quantum spin Hall material with a large energy gap and epitaxially grow bismuthene, i.e., Bi atoms adopting a honeycomb lattice, in a \((\sqrt{3}\times\sqrt{3})\) reconstruction on the semiconductor SiC(0001). In this way, we profit both from the honeycomb symmetry as well as the large spin-orbit coupling of Bi, which, in combination, give rise to a topologically non-trivial band gap on the order of one electronvolt. An in-depth theoretical analysis demonstrates that the covalent bond between the Si and Bi atoms is not only stabilizing the Bi film but is pivotal to attain the quantum spin Hall phase. The preparation of high-quality, unreconstructed SiC(0001) substrates sets the basis for the formation of bismuthene and requires an extensive procedure in ultra-pure dry H\(_2\) gas. Scanning tunneling microscopy measurements unveil the (\(1\times1\)) surface periodicity and smooth terrace planes, which are suitable for the growth of single Bi layers by means of molecular beam epitaxy. The chemical configuration of the resulting Bi film and its oxidation upon exposure to ambient atmosphere are inspected with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Angle-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy reveals the excellent agreement of probed and calculated band structure. In particular, it evidences a characteristic Rashba-splitting of the valence bands at the K point. Scanning tunneling spectroscopy probes signatures of this splitting, as well, and allows to determine the full band gap with a magnitude of \(E_\text{gap}\approx0.8\,\text{eV}\). Constant-current images and local-density-of-state maps confirm the presence of a planar honeycomb lattice, which forms several domains due to different, yet equivalent, nucleation sites of the (\(\sqrt{3}\times\sqrt{3}\))-Bi reconstruction. Differential conductivity measurements demonstrate that bismuthene edge states evolve at atomic steps of the SiC substrate. The probed, metallic local density of states is in agreement with the density of states expected from the edge state's energy dispersion found in density functional theory calculations - besides a pronounced dip at the Fermi level. By means of temperature- and energy-dependent tunneling spectroscopy it is shown that the spectral properties of this suppressed density of states are successfully captured in the framework of the Tomonaga-Luttinger liquid theory and most likely originate from enhanced electronic correlations in the edge channel.},
  subject      = {Zweidimensionales Material},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{Adler2021,
  author    = {Adler, Florian Rudolf},
  title     = {Electronic Correlations in Two-dimensional Triangular Adatom Lattices},
  doi       = {10.25972/OPUS-24175},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-241758},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t W{\"u}rzburg},
  year      = {2021},
  abstract  = {Two-dimensional triangular lattices of group IV adatoms on semiconductor substrates provide a rich playground for the investigation of Mott-Hubbard physics. The possibility to combine various types of adatoms and substrates makes members of this material class versatile model systems to study the influence of correlation strength, band filling and spin-orbit coupling on the electronic structure - both experimentally and with dedicated many-body calculation techniques. The latter predict exotic ground states such as chiral superconductivity or spin liquid behavior for these frustrated lattices, however, experimental confirmation is still lacking. In this work, three different systems, namely the \(\alpha\)-phases of Sn/SiC(0001), Pb/Si(111), and potassium-doped Sn/Si(111) are investigated with scanning tunneling microscopy and photoemission spectroscopy in this regard. The results are potentially relevant for spintronic applications or quantum computing. For the novel group IV triangular lattice Sn/SiC(0001), a combined experimental and theoretical study reveals that the system features surprisingly strong electronic correlations because they are boosted by the substrate through its partly ionic character and weak screening capabilities. Interestingly, the spectral function, measured for the first time via angle-resolved photoemission, does not show any additional superstructure beyond the intrinsic \(\sqrt{3} \times \sqrt{3} R30^{\circ}\) reconstruction, thereby raising curiosity regarding the ground-state spin pattern. For Pb/Si(111), preceding studies have noted a phase transition of the surface reconstruction from \(\sqrt{3} \times \sqrt{3} R30^{\circ}\) to \(3 \times 3\) at 86 K. In this thesis, investigations of the low-temperature phase with high-resolution scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy unveil the formation of a charge-ordered ground state. It is disentangled from a concomitant structural rearrangement which is found to be 2-up/1-down, in contrast to previous predictions. Applying an extended variational cluster approach, a phase diagram of local and nonlocal Coulomb interactions is mapped out. Based on a comparison of theoretical spectral functions with scattering vectors found via quasiparticle interference, Pb/Si(111) is placed in said phase diagram and electronic correlations are found to be the driving force of the charge-ordered state. In order to realize a doped Mott insulator in a frustrated geometry, potassium was evaporated onto the well-known correlated Sn/Si(111) system. Instead of the expected insulator-to-metal transition, scanning tunneling spectroscopy data indicates that the electronic structure of Sn/Si(111) is only affected locally around potassium atoms while a metallization is suppressed. The potassium atoms were found to be adsorbed on empty \(T_4\) sites of the substrate which eventually leads to the formation of two types of K-Sn alloys with a relative potassium content of 1/3 and 1/2, respectively. Complementary measurements of the spectral function via angle-resolved photoemission reveal that the lower Hubbard band of Sn/Si(111) gradually changes its shape upon potassium deposition. Once the tin and potassium portion on the surface are equal, this evolution is complete and the system can be described as a band insulator without the need to include Coulomb interactions.},
  subject      = {Rastertunnelmikroskopie},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{Aulbach2018,
  author    = {Aulbach, Julian},
  title     = {Gold-Induced Atomic Wires on Terraced Silicon Surfaces: Formation and Interactions of Silicon Spin Chains},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-169347},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t W{\"u}rzburg},
  year      = {2018},
  abstract  = {Atomic nanowires formed by self-assembled growth on semiconducting surfaces represent a feasible physical realization of quasi-1D electron systems and can be used to study fascinating 1D quantum phenomena. The system in the focus of this thesis, Si(553)-Au, is generated by Au adsorption onto a stepped silicon surface. It features two different chain types, interspersed with each other: A Au chain on the terrace, and a honeycomb chain of graphitic silicon located at the step edge. The silicon atoms at the exposed edges of the latter are predicted to be spin-polarized and charge-ordered [1], leading to an ordered array of local magnetic moments referred to as ``spin chains''. The present thesis puts this spin chain proposal to an experimental test. A detailed scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and scanning tunneling spectroscopy (STS) scrutiny reveals a distinct unoccupied density of states (DOS) feature localized at every third Si step-edge atom, which aligns perfectly with the density functional theory (DFT) prediction. This finding provides strong evidence for the formation of spin chains at the Si(553)-Au step edges, and simultaneously rules out the interpretation of previous studies which attributed the x3 step-edge superstructure to a Peierls instability. To study the formation of spin chains in further detail, an additional member of the so-called Si(hhk)-Au family -- Si(775)-Au -- is analyzed. Based on DFT modeling (performed by S.C. Erwin, Naval Research Laboratory, USA) and detailed STM and STS experiments, a new structure model for this surface is developed, and the absence of spin chains at the Si(775)-Au step edges is demonstrated. The different step-edge charge distributions of all known Si(hhk)-Au surfaces are traced back to an electron transfer between the terrace and the step edge. Accordingly, an unintentional structure defect should create a localized spin at the Si(775)-Au step edge. This prediction is verified experimentally, and suggest that surface chemistry can be used to create and destroy Si spin chains. Having clarified why spin chains form on some Si(hhk)-Au surfaces but not on others, various interaction effects of the Si(553)-Au spin chains are inspected. A collaborative analysis by SPA-LEED (M. Horn-von Hoegen group, University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany), DFT (S.C. Erwin), and STM reveals strong lateral coupling between adjacent spin chains, bearing interesting implications for their magnetic ordering. The centered geometry uncovered leads to magnetic frustration, and may stabilize a 2D quantum spin liquid. Moreover, a complex interplay between neighboring Au and Si chains is detected. Specifically, the interaction is found effectively ``one-way'', i.e., the Si step edges respond to the Au chains but not vice versa. This unidirectional effect breaks the parity of the Si chains, and creates two different configurations of step edges with opposite directionality. In addition to the static properties of the Si(553)-Au surface mentioned above, the occurrence of solitons in both wire types is witnessed in real space by means of high-resolution STM imaging. The solitons are found to interact with one another such that both move in a coupled fashion along the chains. Likewise, STM experiments as a function of the tunneling current suggest an excitation of solitons along the step edge by the STM tunneling tip. Solitons are also found to play an essential role in the temperature-dependent behavior of the Si(553)-Au step edges. It is an accepted fact that the distinct x3 superstructure of the Si(553)-Au step edges vanishes upon heating to room temperature. As a first step in exploring this transition in detail over a large temperature range, a previously undetected, occupied electronic state associated with the localized step-edge spins is identified by means of angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES). A tracking of this state as a function of temperature reveals an order-disorder-type transition. Complementary STM experiments attribute the origin of this transition to local, thermally activated spin site hops, which correspond to soliton-anitsoliton pairs. Finally, a manipulation of the Si(553)-Au atomic wire array is achieved by the stepwise adsorption of potassium atoms. This does not only increase the filling of the Au-induced surface bands culminating in a metal-insulator transition (MIT), but also modifies the Si step-edge charge distribution, as indicated by STM and ARPES experiments. [1] S. C. Erwin and F. Himpsel, Intrinsic magnetism at silicon surfaces, Nat. Commun. 1, 58 (2010).},
  subject      = {Rastertunnelmikroskopie},
  language  = {en}
}