Quantum well electronic states in spatially decoupled 2D Pb nanoislands on Nb-doped SrTiO3(0 0 1)

Abstract

Two-dimensional (2D) Pb nanoisland has established an ideal platform for studying the quantum size effects on growth mechanism, electronic structures as well as high-temperature superconductivity. Here, we investigate the growth and quantum well electronic states of the 2D Pb nanoislands on Nb-doped SrTiO3(001) by scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy. In contrast to Pb/Si(111), Pb/Cu(111) and Pb/Ag(111), there is no wetting layer of Pb formed on the Nb-doped SrTiO3(001) surface, resulting in isolated Pb nanoislands with an apparent height of 4 atomic layers as the building blocks for the island growth. According to the thickness-dependent quantum well states resolved in both occupied and unoccupied energy regions, the constant group velocity vg = 1.804 × 106 m/s and the Fermi wavevector kF = 1.575 Å−1, have been extracted from a linear fit of the Pb(111) band dispersion along the Γ-L direction. In addition, the energy-dependent scattering phase shift φ(E) obtained by means of the phase accumulation model shows a metallic-like scattering interface analogous to Pb/Ag(111). These spatially decoupled 2D Pb nanoislands thus realize an opportunity to explore the intrinsic quantum confinement phenomena in nanoscale superconductors on the doped titanium-oxide-type substrate.