Epitaxial Growth of One‐Monolayer Pb1−xBix Alloy Films. Issue 10 (5th July 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Li, Pengju; Xie, Kun; Li, Leiqiang; Li, Xinyue; Xia, Yumin; Zhang, Runxiao; Qin, Shengyong
• Is Part Of: Physica status solidi. Volume 259:Issue 10(2022)
• Page Start: n/a
• Page End: n/a
• Publication Date: 2022-07-05
• Subjects: molecular beam epitaxy -- one-monolayer films -- Pb–Bi alloy -- phase transformation -- scanning tunneling microscopy; Solid state physics -- Periodicals; Solids -- Periodicals; Atomic structure -- Periodicals; 530.41
• DOI: 10.1002/pssb.202200095
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0370-1972

Abstract

Abstract : Motivated by recent theoretical reports of intrinsic topological superconductivity in Pb3 Bi alloy systems where large Rashba gap and type II van Hove singularity coexist, one‐monolayer Pb1− x Bi x alloy films have been successfully grown by molecular beam epitaxy technique and systematically investigated by scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy in this work. There coexist two different stable phases in the Pb1− x Bi x alloyed films: 3 × 3 semiconducting phase with a bandgap as large as 0.6 eV, and 3√3 × 3√3 metallic phase. Furthermore, the formation of the two different Pb1− x Bi x monolayer films can be tuned by changing the Bi content and annealing processes. These findings pave the way for further exploration of superconductivity and topological properties of the Pb x Bi1− x systems. Abstract : One‐monolayer Pb1− x Bi x films have been successfully grown by molecular beam epitaxy, and their structural and electronic properties have been systematically studied. There coexist a 3 × 3 semiconducting phase and a 3√3 × 3√3 metallic phase in the one‐monolayer Pb1− x Bi x alloy films, and the coverage of the two structures can be changed by changing the Bi content, annealing temperature, and time.