Abstract
The influence of steps on the surface states of the magnetic Fe(001) surface was studied at room temperature by scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). We observed the distinct bias-dependent differential conductivity contrasts at step edges from those on flat terraces. The observed line profiles across the step edge exhibit the strong reduction of the empty-state local density of states up to 1 eV above the Fermi level. That can be attributed to the scattering of the minority-spin surface states by the step edge, thus, a sizable spin-dependent contrast at the step edge is predicted in spin-polarized STM.
- Received 28 June 2001
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.65.024406
©2001 American Physical Society