Role of elastic scattering in electron dynamics at ordered alkali overlayers on Cu(111)
arXiv:cond-mat/0505069 · doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.95.176802
Abstract
Scanning tunneling spectroscopy of p(2x2) Cs and Na ordered overlayers on Cu(111) reveals similar line widths of quasi two-dimensional quantum well states despite largely different binding energies. Detailed calculations show that 50% of the line widths are due to electron-phonon scattering while inelastic electron-electron scattering is negligible. A frequently ignored mechanism for ordered structures, i.e., enhanced elastic scattering due to Brillouin zone back folding, contributes the remaining width.
4 pages, 2 figures, 1 table