Charge-density-wave domains in 1T-TaS2observed by satellite structure in scanning-tunneling-microscopy images

Abstract
The domain structure in the nearly commensurate charge-density-wave phase of 1T-TaS2 has been experimentally determined. Fourier-transformed scanning-tunneling-microscopy images display fine satellite structure in excellent agreement with that predicted by the amplitude- and phase-domain model of Nakanishi and Shiba. Earlier analyses of scanning-tunneling- and atomic-force-microscopy images of 1T-TaS2 in the nearly commensurate phase are shown to be inadequate for the unambiguous identification and characterization of domain structure.