Surface structure of cleaved (001) USb₂single crystal

We have achieved what we believe to be the first atomic resolution scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) images for a uranium compound USb2 taken at room temperature. The a, b, and c lattice parameters in the images confirm that the tetragonal USb2 crystals cleave on the (001) basal plane as expected. Our calculations indicate a symmetric cut between Sb planes to be the most favorable cleavage plane and U atoms to be responsible for most of the density of states measured by STM. Since the spacing between Sb atoms and between U atoms is the same, STM topography alone cannot unambiguously identify the surface atom species.