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Radial band structure of electrons in liquid metals
1Center for Atomic Wires and Layers, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Korea.
Abstract:
The electronic band structure of a liquid metal was investigated by measuring precisely the evolution of angle-resolved photoelectron spectra during the melting of a Pb monolayer on a Si(111) surface. We found that the liquid monolayer exhibits a free-electron-like band and it undergoes a coherent radial scattering, imposed by the radial correlation of constituent atoms, to form a characteristic secondary hole band. These unique double-radial bands and their gradual evolution during melting can be quantitatively reproduced, including detailed spectral intensity profiles, with our radial scattering model based on a theoretical prediction of 1962. Our result establishes the radial band structure as a key concept for describing the nature of electrons in strongly disordered states of matter.
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