Connection of anisotropic conductivity to tip-induced space-charge layers in scanning tunneling spectroscopy of p-doped GaAs

The electronic properties of shallow acceptors in p-doped GaAs{110} are investigated with scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) at low temperature. Shallow acceptors are known to exhibit distinct triangular contrasts in STM images for certain bias voltages. Spatially resolved I(V) spectroscopy is performed to identify their energetic origin and behavior. A crucial parameter—the scanning tunneling microscope tip’s work function—is determined experimentally. The voltage dependent potential configuration and band bending situation are derived. Ways to validate the calculations with the experiment are discussed. Differential conductivity maps reveal that the triangular contrasts are only observed with a depletion layer present under the STM tip. The tunnel process leading to the anisotropic contrasts calls for electrons to tunnel through vacuum gap and a finite region in the semiconductor.