Interpretation of scanning tunneling microscopy and atomic force microscopy images of 1T-TiS2

International audienceThe surface of 1T-TiS2 was examined by scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The STM and AFM images of this compound were interpreted on the basis of the partial electron density p(r,EF) and total electron density p(r) of a slab which consists of six (001) 1T-TiS2 layers. Electronic structure calculations were performed using the ab-initio Hartree-Fock program CRYSTAL. It was found that the bright spots in experimental STM images correspond to sulfur atoms at both positive and negative bias voltages. The AFM image showed a periodicity which can be explained by the atomic corrugation at the surface. Structural defects on the surface were also investigated, and their interpretation constitutes experimental proof that only sulfur atoms were detected by scanning probe microscopies