Revolutionizing surface science: Visualization of local dielectric properties of surfaces

Researchers from the University of Electro-Communications (Akira Sumiyoshi and Jun Nakamura) and Tohoku University (Kohei Yamasue and Yasuo Cho) have made a significant advancement in visualizing the local dipole moments at the semiconductor surface. This study offers unprecedented insights into the atomic-scale charge distribution and dipole configuration using a combination of the scanning nonlinear dielectric microscope (SNDM) and advanced density functional theory (DFT) calculations.

The newly developed simulation method focuses on the Si(111) surfaces, revealing that a local upward dipole moment is prominently observed at the adatom sites. This observation aligns closely with experimental results obtained through SNDM, demonstrating the accuracy and effectiveness of the theoretical approach.

The findings reveal that variations in local atomic arrangements significantly influence charge transfer and, consequently, the dipole moments, providing essential information for interpreting surface probe microscopy images. This study not only enhances the understanding of surface dielectric properties but also holds promising implications for future semiconductor device engineering and material science applications.

The results were published as an open-access article in "Scientific Reports" by Springer Nature on March 3rd, 2025.
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-91645-1
For further details and inquiries regarding this revolutionary research, please contact Prof. Dr. Jun Nakamura at jun.nakamura@uec.ac.jp.