Two-step method for tracing the density of states from scanning tunneling spectra
Phys. Rev. Applied 25, 044029 – Published 13 April, 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/rtsh-7w9z
Abstract
We present a two-step deconvolution algorithm for recovering the density of states (DOS) of the sample from scanning tunneling spectroscopy measurements without requiring prior knowledge of the tip state. The method first uses the DOS and the dI/dV spectrum of a known feature to characterize the product of the DOS of a tip and the tunneling probability. With this product and the dI/dV spectrum measured on the sample with the same tip, the DOS of the sample can be further derived. Applied to both simulated and experimental data on engineered quantum corrals, as well as the adatoms placed inside them, the algorithm exhibits robust reproducibility under various tip conditions and uncovers subtle modulations of adatom resonance states related to quantum confinement and inversion effects. By extracting a high-fidelity DOS, the method offers a powerful approach for investigating artificial nanostructures and the related quantum phenomena.
