Electronic Surface States of a Dielectric Film on a Metal Substrate

Abstract

An electron near the surface of liquid or solid He, Ne, or ${\mathrm{H}}_{2}$ is excluded from the interior of the medium because of a net repulsive interaction with the atoms or molecules composing it. If a layer of such a material is situated on a conductor these electrons may become localized near the insulator-vapor interface, bound there by polarization forces. We discuss the properties of these states and determine their lifetime prior to electron tunneling through the insulator to the metal.

Identifiers

DOI

10.1103/physrevb.3.4418

Citations and references