Scanning tunneling spectroscopy study of Cu(554): Confinement and dimensionality at a stepped surface

Electronic structure investigations of Cu(554) using low-temperature scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy indicate that the dimensionality of the (111)-derived surface state changes from two dimensions to one dimension when the electron energy and wave vector comply with the lateral confinement conditions of the individual terrace. Moreover, an alternative explanation can be given for the gradual changeover from terrace to step modulation with an increasing miscut angle reported in earlier photoemission experiments.