Image potential states in the topological semimetal Sb

ORAL

Abstract

Topological materials host protected surface states with locked spin and momentum degrees of freedom that have been predicted to give rise to several exotic excitations such as Majorana fermions and magnetic monopoles. The topological semimetal antimony (Sb) offers a pristine platform in which to search for these excitations. Here we present scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy studies of Sb at high energy where quantized image potential states form due to the binding between the tunneling electron and the polarized surface. These states allow exploration of the image charge geometry necessary to realize a magnetic monopole.

*Acknowledge funding from the National Science Foundation DMR-1410480.

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Authors

  • Yau Chuen Yam

    • Harvard University; The University of British Columbia
    • Harvard Univeristy

  • Yang He

    • Harvard Univeristy

  • Pengcheng Chen

    • Harvard Univeristy

  • Zhihuai Zhu

    • Harvard Univeristy

  • Mohammad Hamidian

    • Harvard Univeristy

  • Marcel Franz

    • University of British Columbia

  • Jennifer E. Hoffman

    • University of British Columbia
    • Harvard University; The University of British Columbia
    • Harvard Univeristy
    • University of British Columbia, Harvard University