Atomic structure and theoretical scanning tunneling microscopy images of Li zigzag chains on the GaAs(110) surface

Abstract

We have investigated the Li/GaAs(110) surface by combining the low-energy electron diffraction (LEED) and the ab initio pseudopotential calculations. The potential energy surface for the single atomic adsorption shows the existence of two inequivalent adsorption sites. At 0.5 monolayer coverage of Li, a well defined 1x2 LEED pattern is observed. The atomic structure at this coverage is characterized by Li zigzag chains running in the [1 (1) over bar0] direction. This structure is stabilized by electron transfer from the Li adatoms to the dangling bonds of certain surface Ga atoms. The simulated scanning tunneling microscopy images show linear (asymmetric zigzag) chains along the [1 (1) over bar0] direction for positive (negative) sample biases.