Electron transport via local polarons at interface atoms.
Electronic transport is profoundly modified in the presence of strong electron-vibration coupling. We show that in certain situations, the electron flow takes place only when vibrations are excited. By controlling the segregation of boron in semiconducting Si(111)-square root 3 x square root 3 R 30 degrees surfaces, we create a type of adatom with a dangling-bond state that is electronically decoupled from any other electronic state. However, probing this state with scanning tunnelling microscopy at 5 K yields high currents. These findings are rationalized by ab-initio calculations that show the formation of a local polaron in the transport process.
Berthe
M
M
Institut d'Electronique, de Microélectronique, et de Nanotechnologie, IEMN ,CNRS, UMR 8520, Département ISEN, 59046 Lille Cédex, France.
Urbieta
A
A
Perdigão
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L
Grandidier
B
B
Deresmes
D
D
Delerue
C
C
Stiévenard
D
D
Rurali
R
R
Lorente
N
N
Magaud
L
L
Ordejón
P
P