https://doi.org/10.1140/epjb/e2004-00041-1
Quantum well states in thin (110)-oriented Au films and k-space symmetry
1
Institute of Physics and Physical Technology, Technische
Universität Clausthal, 38678 Clausthal-Zellerfeld, Germany
2
Department of Physics, University of South Africa,
P.O. Box 392, Pretoria 0003, South Africa and
Institute of Mathematics and Physics, University of Podlasie, 3-go Maja 54, 08-110 Siedlce, Poland
Corresponding author: a osuchk@harry.unisa.ac.za
Received:
10
September
2002
Revised:
1
December
2003
Published online:
15
March
2004
We present electron diffraction and electron photoemission results
for thin Au films grown on Nb(100) in a hexagonal close-packed
stacking sequence, which is unusual for Au. Strong d-band [48] quantum
size effects occur in photo-electron spectroscopy from 5–26 monolayer thick
() oriented Au films whose confined direction ([11.0]) is not
perpendicular to any face of the bulk Brillouin zone.
Also in this case, the energetics of the quantum well states can
be explained by a discretisation of the bulk band structure
corresponding to the quantum well. However, the bulk states
corresponding to the quantum well states do not lie in the confined direction of
the first bulk Brillouin zone, contrary to what is required by the
quantum well. This can be remedied by the construction of a layer
symmetry adapted Brillouin zone, which is consistent with the
symmetry of the quantum well but different from the bulk one. We
subsequently determine, for the first time, the
periodicity of the quantum well states from their measured
). This periodicity proves to be consistent with
the newly introduced Brillouin zone.
PACS: 73.21.-b – Electron states and collective excitations in multilayers, quantum wells, mesoscopic, and nanoscale systems / 82.80.Pv – Electron spectroscopy (X-ray photoelectron (XPS), Auger electron spectroscopy (AES), etc.) / 71.15.Mb – Density functional theory, local density approximation, gradient and other corrections / 71.20.Gj – Other metals and alloys
© EDP Sciences, Società Italiana di Fisica, Springer-Verlag, 2004