Scanning Tunneling Microscope Tip-Induced Formation of Bi Bilayers on Bi$_2$Te$_3$

Abstract

We report the formation of Bi(111) bilayer (BL) islands and crater structures on Bi$_2$Te$_3$(111) surfaces induced by voltage pulses from an STM tip. Pulses above a threshold voltage ($+3$ V) produce craters $\sim 0.5$ microns in diameter, similar to the size of the tip. Redeposited material self-assembles into a network of atomically ordered islands with a lattice constant identical to the underlying Bi$_2$Te$_3$ surface. The island size monotonically decreases over several microns from the pulse site, until the pristine Bi$_2$Te$_3$ surface is recovered. We assign these islands to Bi BL based on atomic resolution images, analysis of step heights, and tunneling spectroscopy. The dependence of bilayer formation on bias polarity and the evidence for defect diffusion together suggest a mechanism driven by the interplay of field evaporation and tunneling-current-induced Joule heating.