Electric and magnetic-field tuning of tubular image states above suspended nanowires

Recently, we have shown that suspended metallic nanowires support Rydberg-like electron image states. Here, we investigate the possibility of tuning such `tubular image statesʹ, formed around pairs of parallel nanowires, by electric and magnetic fields. In the presence of a magnetic field, directed along the nanowires, we observe the formation of `Landau-likeʹ image states, with simple elliptic-like orbits, that are highly detached from the surfaces of both nanowires. An additional electric field, induced by opposite charging of the two nanowires, spatially shifts these `molecularʹ states to one of the wires, while strongly chaotic nodal patterns emerge.