@phdthesis{ElKareh2014,
  author    = {El-Kareh, Lydia},
  title     = {Rashba-type spin-split surface states: Heavy post transition metals on Ag(111)},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-112722},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t W{\"u}rzburg},
  year      = {2014},
  abstract  = {In the framework of this thesis, the structural and electronic properties of bismuth and lead deposited on Ag(111) have been investigated by means of low-temperature scanning tunneling microscopy (LT-STM) and spectroscopy (STS). Prior to spectroscopic investigations the growth characteristics have been investigated by means of STM and low energy electron diffraction (LEED) measurements. Submonolayer coverages as well as thick films have been investigated for both systems. Subsequently the quantum well characteristics of thick Pb films on Ag(111) have been analyzed and the quantum well character could be proved up to layer thicknesses of N ≈ 100 ML. The observed characteristics in STS spectra were explained by a simple cosine Taylor expansion and an in-plane energy dispersion could be detected by means of quasi-particle interferences. The main part of this work investigates the giant Rashba-type spin-split surface alloys of (√3 × √3)Pb/Ag(111)R30◦ and (√3 × √3)Bi/Ag(111)R30◦. With STS experiments the band positions and splitting strengths of the unoccupied (√3 × √3)Pb/Ag(111)R30◦ band dispersions could be resolved, which were unclear so far. The investigation by means of quasi-particle interferences resulted in the observation of several scattering events, which could be assigned as intra- and inter-band transitions. The analysis of scattering channels within a simple spin-conservation-approach turned out to be incomplete and led to contradictions between experiment and theory. In this framework more sophisticated DFT calculations could resolve the apparent deviations by a complete treatment of scattering in spin-orbit-coupled materials, which allows for constructive interferences in spin-flip scattering processes as long as the total momentum J_ is conserved. In a similar way the band dispersion of (√3 × √3)Bi/Ag(111)R30◦ was investigated. The STS spectra confirmed a hybridization gap opening between both Rashba-split bands and several intra- and inter-band scattering events could be observed in the complete energy range. The analysis within a spin-conservation-approach again turned out to be insufficient for explaining the observed scattering events in spin-orbit-coupled materials, which was confi by DFT calculations. Within these calculations an inter-band scattering event that has been identified as spin-conserving in the simple model could be assigned as a spin-flip scattering channel. This illustrates evidently how an incomplete description can lead to completely different indications. The present work shows that different spectroscopic STM modes are able to shed light on Rashba-split surface states. Whereas STS allowed to determine band onsets and splitting strengths, quasi-particle interferences could shed light on the band dispersions. A very important finding of this work is that spin-flip scattering events may result in constructive interferences, an eff which has so far been overlooked in related publications. Additionally it has been found that STM measurements can not distinguish between spin-conserving scattering events or spin-flip scattering events, which prevents to give a definite conclusion on the spin polarization for systems with mixed orbital symmetries just from the observed scattering events.},
  subject      = {Silber},
  language  = {en}
}