LiTaO 3 and LiNbO 3 crystals are investigated here in a combined experimental and theoretical study that uses Raman spectroscopy in a complete set of scattering geometries and corresponding density-functional theory calculations to provide microscopic information on their vibrational properties. The Raman scattering efficiency is computed from first principles in order to univocally assign the measured Raman peaks to the calculated eigenvectors. Measured and calculated Raman spectra are shown to be in qualitative agreement and confirm the mode assignment by Margueron et al. [J. Appl. Phys. 111, 104105 (2012)], thus finally settling a long debate. While the two crystals show rather similar vibrational properties overall, the E-TO 9 mode is markedly different in the two oxides. The deviations are explained by a different anion-cation bond type in LiTaO 3 and LiNbO 3 crystals.

Adsorption of Au on vicinal Si(111) surfaces results in growth of long-range ordered metallic quantum wires. In this paper, we utilized site-specific and selective adsorption of oxygen to modify chemically the transport via different channels in the systems Si(553)-Au and Si(557)-Au. They were analyzed by electron diffraction and four-tip STM-based transport experiments. Modeling of the adsorption process by density functional theory shows that the adatoms and rest atoms on Si(557)-Au provide energetically favored adsorption sites, which predominantly alter the transport along the wire direction. Since this structural motif is missing on Si(553)-Au, the transport channels remain almost unaffected by oxidation.

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Density-functional theory is used to explore the Si(553)-Au surface dynamics. Our study (i) reveals a complex two-stage order-disorder phase transition where with rising temperature first the ×3 order along the Si step edges and, subsequently, the ×2 order of the Au chains is lost, (ii) identifies the transient modification of the electron chemical potential during soft Au chain vibrations as instrumental for disorder at the step edge, and (iii) shows that the transition leads to a self-doping of the Si dangling-bond wire at the step edge. The calculations are corroborated by Raman measurements of surface phonon modes and explain previous electron diffraction, scanning tunneling microscopy, and surface transport data.

Ordered submonolayers of adsorbate atoms on semiconductor surfaces constitute a playground for electronic correlation effects, which are tightly connected to the local atomic arrangement and the corresponding vibration eigenmodes. We report on a study of the vibration eigenmodes of Au-covered Si(111) surfaces with (5 × 2) reconstruction using polarized Raman spectroscopy and first-principles calculations. Upon Au coverage, the vibration eigenmodes of the clean reconstructed Si(111)-(7 × 7) surface are quenched and replaced by new eigenmodes, determined by the Au-(5 × 2) reconstruction. Several polarization-dependent surface eigenmodes emerge in the spectral range from 25 to 120 cm −1 , with the strongest ones at 29, 51, and 106 cm −1. In our first-principles calculations we have determined the vibration frequencies, the corresponding elongation patterns, and the Raman intensities for two different structure models currently discussed in the literature. The best agreement with the experimental results is achieved for a model with 0.7 monolayer coverage and seven Au atoms per unit cell, proposed by S. G. Kwon and M. H. Kang [Phys. Rev. Lett. 113, 086101 (2014)].

In recent years, Raman spectroscopy has been used to visualize and analyze ferroelectric domain structures. The technique makes use of the fact that the intensity or frequency of certain phonons is strongly influenced by the presence of domain walls. Although the method is used frequently, the underlying mechanism responsible for the changes in the spectra is not fully understood. This inhibits deeper analysis of domain structures based on this method. Two different models have been proposed. However, neither model completely explains all observations. In this work, we have systematically investigated domain walls in different scattering geometries with Raman spectroscopy in the common ferroelectric materials used in integrated optics, i.e., KTiOPO 4 , LiNbO 3 , and LiTaO 3. Based on the two models, we can demonstrate that the observed contrast for domain walls is in fact based on two different effects. We can identify on the one hand microscopic changes at the domain wall, e.g., strain and electric fields, and on the other hand a macroscopic change of selection rules at the domain wall. While the macroscopic relaxation of selection rules can be explained by the directional dispersion of the phonons in agreement with previous propositions, the microscopic changes can be explained qualitatively in terms of a simplified atomistic model.

The vibrational properties of the Au-induced ( √ 3 × √ 3)R30 • reconstruction of the Si(111) surface are investigated by polarized surface Raman spectroscopy and density-functional theory. The Raman measurements are performed in situ at room temperature as well as 20 K, and they reveal the presence of vibrational eigenmodes in the spectral range from 20 to 450 cm −1 . In particular, two peaks of E symmetry at 75 and 183 cm −1 dominate the spectra. No substantial difference between room-and low-temperature spectra is observed, suggesting that the system does not undergo a phase transition down to 20 K. First-principles calculations are performed based on the structural models discussed in the literature. The thermodynamically stable conjugate honeycomb-chained-trimer model (CHCT) [Surf. Sci. 275, L691 (1992)] leads to phonon eigenvalues compatible with the experimental observations in the investigated spectral range. On the basis of the phonon eigenfrequencies, symmetries, and Raman intensities, we assign the measured spectral features to the calculated phonon modes. The good agreement between measured and calculated modes provides a strong argument in favor of the CHCT model.

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