Scanning tunneling microscope light emission spectra of polycrystalline and

We have observed scanning tunneling microscope light emission (STM-LE) spectra of Ge2Sb2Te5 and Sb2Te3. Although these chalcogenide alloys exhibit band gaps less than 0.5 eV, the STM-LE was observed with a narrow spectral width at a photon energy of 1.5 eV for both materials. By analyzing its bias voltage, polarity, and temperature dependencies combined with recently reported theoretical electronic structures, we concluded that the STM-LE is excited by electronic transitions taking place in the local electronic structure having a direct gap-like shape with a band gap of 1.5 eV, commonly found in the electronic structures of both materials.