Observation of Supermodulation in LaO0.5F0.5BiSe2 by Scanning Tunneling Microscopy and Spectroscopy

We observed the surface and electronic structure of single-crystal LaO0.5F0.5BiSe2 by scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy at 4.2 K. A square lattice composed of Bi atoms was observed at a positive sample bias voltage for the surface prepared by cleavage. At a negative sample bias voltage, a stripe structure along the Bi–Bi directions was observed as in a previous report on NdO0.7F0.3BiS2. Furthermore, we observed a supermodulation along the diagonal directions with a period of about five times the lattice constant. This seems to be indicative of the structural instability of this system rather than the electronic instability attributed to a nesting picture.