Direct Observation of Friedel Oscillations around Incorporated SiGaDopants in GaAs by Low-Temperature Scanning Tunneling Microscopy

Abstract

We report the direct imaging of electrically active Si dopants near the GaAs(110) surface with a scanning tunneling microscope at a temperature of 4.2 K. In the filled state images, we observe patterns of rings which are centered around the individual doping atoms. We believe these ring patterns are induced by the individual impurities, which, due to their charge, disturb the local potential and cause oscillations in the charge density, also called Friedel oscillations. In the empty state images no Friedel oscillations can be observed.