Electron grain boundary scattering and the resistivity of nanometric metallic structures

Abstract

The resistivity of metallic structures depends on both electron-grain boundary scattering and electron-surface scattering. By tuning the grain size, we have been able to separate the contribution to the resistivity originating in electron-grain boundary scattering, from that arising in electron-surface scattering, on gold films approximately 54 nm thick deposited onto mica substrates under high vacuum. Surprisingly, the resistivity measured between 4 and 300 K can be described by Drude’s model; it can be described as well by Mayadas’s theory using the grain boundary reflectivity R as the only adjustable parameter.