title: Electron transport via local polarons at interface atoms.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Institut d'Electronique, de Microélectronique, et de Nanotechnologie, IEMN ,CNRS, UMR 8520, Département ISEN, 59046 Lille Cédex, France.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Berthe
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Urbieta
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Perdigão
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Grandidier
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Deresmes
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Delerue
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Stiévenard
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rurali
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Lorente
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Magaud
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ordejón