Scanning Tunneling Spectroscopy of correlated electron materials and molecular structuresMidden, Marion van (Avtor) Škarabot, Miha (Mentor) Zupanič, Erik (Komentor) Scanning Tunneling Microscopy (STM)Scanning Tunneling Spectroscopy (STS)Quasi-particle interferencecharge density wavesmolecular self-assemblyDensity Functional Theory (DFT)In this thesis, Scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and spectroscopy were used to study the topography, electronic properties, and band structure of the surfaces of complex correlated electron materials and self-assembled molecular structures. First, the setpoint artifacts that can occur when acquiring band structure data using quasi-particle interference (QPI) are studied, applied to the surface states of (111) metal surfaces. Next, QPI is applied to study the topological semi-metal Sb(111), enabling the reconstruction of its band structure. The second part of the thesis concerned materials exhibiting charge density waves (CDW). Combining STM imaging with Fourier transform analysis along the columns of the quasi-one-dimensional material NbSe$_3$, the real-space distribution of the two modulation wave-vectors is studied. Our measurements support a new model of CDW sliding, in which the two modulations alternate along two of the three types of columns comprising the unit cell. Measurements of the topography and electronic properties of the layered material 1T-TaSeS, exhibiting both CDWs and superconductivity, are presented. In contrast to expectations, high energy resolution measurements below its superconducting transition temperature reveal no spatial correlation between the observed superconducting gap and the domain wall structure. In the end, the self-assembly of 2-mercaptobenzimidazole, an organic corrosion inhibitor, on the surface of copper Cu(111) is investigated. Evaporation in UHV enabled controlled preparation of high-quality samples with (sub-)monolayer coverages. By tuning the substrate temperature and surface coverage, different self-assembled structures could be obtained and characterized using STM and DFT, elucidating the bonding of 2-mercaptobenzimidazole on Cu(111). Atomic real-space and high energy resolution in combination with a detailed understanding of the measuring modes and possible artifacts, make STM a powerful experimental technique, providing several possibilities for investigating the surfaces of complex materials. 20212021-06-25 08:15:02Doktorsko delo/naloga127848VisID: 118111COBISS_ID: 72761603sl