Fluctuations and phase separation in a quasi-one-dimensional system.
Phase transitions in a quasi-one-dimensional surface system on a metal substrate are investigated as a function of temperature. Upon cooling the system shows a loss of long-range order, fluctuations, and a transition into an inhomogeneous ground state due to competition of local adsorbate-adsorbate interactions with an incommensurate charge density wave. This agrees with a general phase diagram for correlated systems and high-temperature superconductors. The model surface system allows direct imaging of the fluctuations and the glassy inhomogeneous ground state by scanning tunneling microscopy.
Doná
Enrico
E
Institute of Physical Chemistry, University of Innsbruck, Innrain 52a, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria.
Loerting
Thomas
T
Penner
Simon
S
Minca
Mariana
M
Menzel
Alexander
A
Bertel
Erminald
E
Schoiswohl
Johannes
J
Berkebile
Steven
S
Netzer
Falko P
FP
Zucca
Rinaldo
R
Redinger
Josef
J