Localization and hybridization of the electronic states in thin films of Ag on V(100)
We have studied the electronic states in 1-5 layers thick Ag films on V(100), by means of ab initio density functional calculations. Due to the mismatch of the electronic structure of Ag and V, quantum well states of both sp and d character localized on Ag films are formed. We find that the hybridization of the Ag quantum well states with the V orbitals is nevertheless important, and must be taken into account in order to fully understand the observed properties, in particular the energies and the dispersion of the photoemission peaks in ARPES experiments. We also discuss the character of the states on the first Ag layer with energies around the Fermi level which contribute dominantly to the tunneling current in STM experiments. We find that these states are largely localized on the Ag overlayers, which explains the appearance of standing waves around impurities which are observed in STM.