Electronic coupling between Bi nanolines and the Si(001) substrate: An experimental and theoretical study

Atomic nanolines are one-dimensional systems realized by assembling many atoms on a substrate into long arrays. The electronic properties of the nanolines depend on those of the substrate. Here, we demonstrate that to fully understand the electronic properties of Bi nanolines on clean Si(001) several different contributions must be accounted for. Scanning tunneling microscopy reveals a variety of different patterns along the nanolines as the imaging bias is varied. We observe an electronic phase shift of the Bi dimers, associated with imaging atomic p orbitals, and an electronic coupling between the Bi nanoline and neighboring Si dimers, which influences the appearance of both. Understanding the interplay between the Bi nanolines and Si substrate could open a novel route to modifying the electronic properties of the nanolines.