SCANNING-TUNNELING-MICROSCOPY AND SPECTROSCOPY OF LOW-DIMENSION SYSTEMS - MOLECULAR FILMS OF AN ION-EXCHANGE POLYMER

The results of an experimental study of the electronic properties of L angmuir-Blodgett films of an ion-exchange polymer, performed by the me thods of scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy (STM-STS), are presented. Ordered regions with dimensions of similar to 1000 Angstro m and a dI/dV(V) curve with a conductance peak near the zero bias volt age were found. For this case the shape of the curve dI/dV(V) was foun d to depend on the period of the ordered structure. In the case where there was no ordering on the surface of the film, splitting of the con ductance peak on the curve dI/dV(V) was observed near zero bias voltag e. An additional energy gap with a width of similar to 40 meV appeared . A model is proposed to explain these effects. (C) 1995 American Inst itute of Physics.