ARPES on Na_(0.6)CoO₂: Fermi surface, extended flat dispersion, and unusual band splitting

The electronic structure of single crystals Na$_{0.6}$CoO$_2$, which are closely related to the superconducting Na$_{0.3}$CoO$_2$.$y$H$_2$O ($T_c \sim 5K$), is studied by angle-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy. While the measured Fermi surface is found to be consistent with the prediction of a local density band theory, the energy dispersion is highly renormalized, with an anisotropy along the two principle axes ($\Gamma$-$K$, $\Gamma$-$M$). Our ARPES result also indicates that an extended flat band is formed slightly above $E_F$ along $\Gamma$-$K$. In addition, an unusual band splitting is observed in the vicinity of the Fermi surface along the $\Gamma$-$M$ direction, which differs from the predicted bilayer splitting.