Scanning Tunnelling Microscopy Studies of Tsai‐Type Quasicrystal Approximants

Abstract

We review scanning tunnelling microscopy (STM) studies of the surfaces of periodic Tsai‐type approximants. Although they are useful analogues to the Tsai‐type quasicrystals, the surfaces of these periodic approximants behave in subtly different and often more complex ways when compared to their quasiperiodic cousins. We present a summary of STM studies conducted upon Tsai‐type approximants; we discuss the various differences and similarities between phases and surface directions, and compare these to the surfaces of the related quasicrystalline phases. We also present open questions which have been raised by these studies, and offer potential routes to answer them.