Manipulation of Electronic Transport in the Bi(111) Surface State

We demonstrate the controlled manipulation of the 2D-electronic transport in the surface state of Bi(111) through the deposition of small amounts of Bi to generate adatoms and 2D islands as additional scatterers. The corresponding increase in resistance is recorded in situ and in real time. Model calculations based on mean-field nucleation theory reveal a constant scattering efficiency of adatoms and of small 2D Bi islands, independent of their size. This finding is supported by a detailed scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy study at 5 K which shows a highly anisotropic scattering pattern surrounding each surface protrusion.