Observation of a Narrow Pseudogap near the Fermi Level of AlCuFe Quasicrystalline Thin Films

Abstract

We present the first experimental determination by tunneling spectroscopy of the density of states (DOS) close to the Fermi energy of AlCuFe quasicrystalline thin film samples. The measurements show that the Fermi level in a quasicrystal lies in a deep narrow pseudogap 60 meV wide. Above an applied voltage of 50 mV a ${V}^{1/2}$ contribution to the DOS is observed in agreement with electron-electron interaction effects.