Applied Surface Science, Vol.162, 666-669, 2000
Charge density waves affected by Rb nanowire network formation on 1T-TaS2
Alkali metals tend to either intercalate or adsorb on layered materials. With sufficient kinetic energy of the impinging atoms Rb forms nanowire networks on surfaces of transition metal dichalcogenides [R. Adelung, L. Kipp, J. Brandt, L. Tarcak, M. Traving, C. Kreis, M. Skibowski, Appl. Phys. Lett. 74 (1999) 3053]. This contrasts earlier results discussing alkali metal exposure to layered 1T-TaS2 crystals in terms of intercalation phenomena [C, Pettenkofer, W. Jaegermann, Phys. Rev. B 50 (1994) 8816; I. Ekvall, H.E. Brauer, E. Wahlstrom, H. Olin, Phys. Rev. B 59 (1999) 7751]. We show that Rb exposure to 1T-TaS2 may result in nanowire networks that drastically affect the charge density wave (CDW) phases of 1T-TaS2. By combined application of synchrotron radiation excited angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy, scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and LEED, the change in electronic structure leading to a new room temperature phase can be related to the network geometry.