We present a methodology to determine the periodic potential of a surface from angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy. By mapping the band structure and measuring the energy gap widths at high symmetry points of the surface Brillouin zone, the first Fourier components of the potential can be estimated. This method has been applied in the case of the reconstructed Ag/Cu(111) surface where controlled potassium atom doping has been used to precisely tune the band gap energies. This potential determination allows one to calculate the local density of states which is found to be in very good agreement with scanning tunneling spectroscopy data.

• Received 11 September 2013

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.89.121409