The atomic and electronic structures of the 4Hb polytype (alternating
layers of T and H types) of TaS2 have been studied with a scanning tun
neling microscope, operating in air at room temperature. On areas with
presumably the T-type layer being the surface, a commensurate root 13
x root 13 charge-density wave (CDW) superlattice is observed, indepen
dent of sample bias. On tile presumably H-type surface, however, image
s are bias dependent. Increase of the positive sample bias from about
50 to 170 mV results in a continuous change of images from a dominant
atomic pattern with a very weak superimposed CDW modulation to a fully
developed commensurate root 13 x root 13 cow superlattice. With a neg
ative bias (down to -300 mV), however, there is hardly any indication
of a CDW modulation. The bias-dependent behavior can be explained by t
he energy dependence of the probability of electron tunneling from the
tip through top (H type) to the second (T type) layer.