Conference proceeding
Atomic Manipulation of Single Erbium on GaAs(110): From Adatom Motion to Creation and Control of Bistable Substitutions
Atomic Manipulation of Single Erbium on GaAs(110): From Adatom Motion to Creation and Control of Bistable Substitutions
03/20/2026
DOI: 10.2172/3030263
Abstract
We demonstrate atomic-scale control over the position and configuration of single erbium (Er) atoms at the GaAs(110) surface using scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). By applying voltage pulses from the STM tip, we drive Er adatoms to move sequentially among three distinct adsorption sites and controllably substitute into Ga lattice sites. The resulting substitutional Er atoms exhibit two isoelectronic configurations that differ by less than one angstrom in lateral position and can be reversibly switched by additional voltage pulses. Differential conductance spectroscopy shows differences in the unoccupied local electronic states for the two substitutional configurations, and an absence of mid-gap states. Preliminary density functional theory (DFT) calculations support these findings, identifying the most stable adsorption and substitutional sites, their relative binding energies, charge states, and local density of states (LDOS) characteristics. Together, the experimental and theoretical results establish a method for precise, reversible manipulation of rare-earth dopants at semiconductor surfaces, opening a pathway to engineer atomic-scale quantum and optoelectronic functionalities.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Atomic Manipulation of Single Erbium on GaAs(110): From Adatom Motion to Creation and Control of Bistable Substitutions
- Creators
- Steven Poche - The Ohio State UniversityJay Gupta - The Ohio State UniversityHari Paudyal - University of IowaJoe Sink - University of IowaMichael Flatte - University of Iowa
- Resource Type
- Conference proceeding
- Publication Details
- Atomic Manipulation of Single Erbium on GaAs(110): From Adatom Motion to Creation and Control of Bistable Substitutions
- DOI
- 10.2172/3030263
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 03/20/2026
- Academic Unit
- Electrical and Computer Engineering; Physics and Astronomy
- Record Identifier
- 9985230782602771
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