Atomic row doubling in the STM images of Cu(014)-O obtained with MnNi tips

Abstract

We report on scanning tunneling microscopy studies of the Cu(014)-O surface using MnNi tips. Remarkably, the results show a regular apparent doubling of surface atomic rows in the {110} direction. A qualitative explanation of this feature based on tight binding and density functional theory calculations of the electronic structure of the tip is presented. Double imaging of the same atom by different legs of dyz orbital could be the reason for the observed doubling. The orientation of the orbital is determined by the O-Mn crystal field.