Local measurement of the eliashberg function of Pb islands: Enhancement of electron-phonon coupling by quantum well states

Michael Schackert, Tobias Märkl, Jasmin Jandke, Martin Hölzer, Sergey Ostanin, Eberhard K.U. Gross, Arthur Ernst, Wulf Wulfhekel

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36 Scopus citations

Abstract

Inelastic tunneling spectroscopy of Pb islands on Cu(111) obtained by scanning tunneling microscopy below 1 K provides a direct access to the local Eliashberg function of the islands with high energy resolution. The Eliashberg function describes the electron-phonon interaction causing conventional superconductivity. The measured Eliashberg function strongly depends on the local thickness of the Pb nanostructures and shows a sharp maximum when quantum well states of the Pb islands come close to the Fermi energy. Ab initio calculations reveal that this is related to enhanced electron-phonon coupling at these thicknesses.

Original languageEnglish
Article number047002
JournalPhysical Review Letters
Volume114
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - 29 Jan 2015
Externally publishedYes

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Publisher Copyright:
© 2015 American Physical Society.

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