title: Resolving the one-dimensional singularity edge states of Bi(1 1 1) thin films.
abstract: We report our investigation on the electronic properties of the step edges on a Bi(1 1 1) surface in epitiaxially grown thin films, using scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy. Our results show three differential conductance peaks including the previously reported peak in the spectra recorded at the step edges. Our analysis indicates that all of the three peaks can be ascribed to the van Hove singularities and thus to the band extrema of the one-dimensional edge bands, according to the quasiparticle interference and the Fourier transform patterns. These edge states show an overall penetration length of about 5 nm, but they also show different spatial distributions perpendicular to the edge. The well-determined band extrema may provide information for establishing a better model to describe the electronic topology of the step edge in the Bi(1 1 1) films.
authors.affiliation: Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale and Synergetic Innovation Center of Quantum Information & Quantum Physics, Key Laboratory of Strong-Coupled Quantum Matter Physics (CAS), University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Xiaogang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Hongjian
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Du
authors.forename: Jufeng
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Mingyang
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.forename: Xia
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Bing
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wang