Scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy study of the patchwork structure in Pt doped IrTe₂

Highlights: • We performed STS measurements on patchwork structure in Ir_0.93Pt_0.07Te₂. • Patchwork structure has similar electronic features to those of IrTe₂. • Patchwork structure is caused by strain due to the dopant Pt. - Abstract: We report on the scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and spectroscopy (STS) study on a newly discovered superconductor, Ir_1−xPt_xTe₂. We previously found that the sample which shows superconductivity forms so called "patchwork structure (PS)". To obtain the spatial evolution of electronic structure on the PS, we performed STM/STS measurements on the PS. STS measurements revealed that an averaged spectrum shows the same energy asymmetry as that in the low temperature phase in the parent material, IrTe₂. Furthermore, the spectrum at the trough on the PS is more asymmetric than that at the crest. This tendency is similar to that observed on the supermodulation in the low temperature phase in IrTe₂.