Commentary on the Interpretation of Fourier-Transform Scanning Tunneling Microscopy Data

Abstract

Several papers have been published recently, particularly in the field of topological insulators, that use a Fourier-transform technique in a way that can be misleading or otherwise inaccurate, and the processing is not always described in the Methods or Supplementary sections. This manuscript describes subtle issues with the technique that have been overlooked in several high-visibility papers. For instance, many authors make strong arguments regarding the importance of symmetries and asymmetries in their data, then enhance the symmetry in their data without accounting for their data processing steps. A brief analysis of the validity of FT-STM data symmetrization is provided, alternative analysis techniques are described, and some often overlooked concerns related to the scattering centers are described.