Temperature and thickness dependence of the resistivity of thin polycrystalline aluminium, cobalt, nickel, palladium, silver and gold films

• Published in: Thin solid films Vol. 167; no. 1; pp. 25 - 32
• Main Author: De Vries, J.W.C.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Lausanne Elsevier B.V 15.12.1988; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Analysing. Testing. Standards; Applied sciences; Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Electronic structure and electrical properties of surfaces, interfaces, thin films and low-dimensional structures; Electronic transport phenomena in thin films and low-dimensional structures; Exact sciences and technology; Materials science; Measurement of properties and materials state; Metals, semimetals and alloys; Metals. Metallurgy; Nondestructive testing; Physics; Specific materials; Electrical conductivity; Charge carrier scattering; Conduction electron; Polycrystal; Temperature effect; Transition metal; Experimental study; Carrier scattering; Layer thickness; Low temperature; Thin film; Grain boundary
• ISSN: 0040-6090; 1879-2731
• DOI: 10.1016/0040-6090(88)90478-6

The resistivity ϱ f of thin aluminium, cobalt, nickel, palladium, silver and gold films is determined as a function of thickness and temperature. The temperature-dependent part of ϱ f turns out to be equal to the bulk value. This is indicative of a dominant grain boundary scattering in these films as follows from simple theoretical considerations. A simple linear relation between the grain boundary scattering function f(α) and the film thickness d is found which extends over a wide range of thicknesses. In the case of the non-transition metals aluminium, silver and gold a value for the scattering coefficient R could be derived.