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The conductivity of thin metallic films according to the electron theory of metals

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 October 2008

K. Fuchs
K. Fuchs
Affiliation:
H. H. Wills Physical Laboratory, University of Bristol
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Extract

The conductivity of thin films of the alkali metals has recently been measured in the H. W. Wills Physical Laboratory, Bristol*. It was found that as the thickness of the film is decreased to that of a few atomic layers the conductivity drops below that of the bulk metal. In the papers quoted the hypothesis was put forward that this effect is due to the shortening of the mean free paths of the conduction electrons of the metal by collisions with the boundaries of the film. The experimental results were compared with a formula derived on the basis of this hypothesis. This formula was, however, obtained subject to a number of simplifying assumptions, and it is the first purpose of this paper to obtain a more accurate formula. I also compare this formula with experiment, and make certain deductions about the surfaces of thin films.

Type
Research Article
Information
Mathematical Proceedings of the Cambridge Philosophical Society , Volume 34 , Issue 1 , January 1938 , pp. 100 - 108
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge Philosophical Society 1938

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References

* Lovell, , Proc. Roy. Soc. 157 (1936), 311;CrossRefGoogle ScholarAppleyard, and Lovell, , Proc. Roy. Soc. 158 (1937), 718.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

† Proc. Cambridge Phil. Soc. 11 (1901), 120.Google Scholar

* I am grateful to Prof. R. Peierls for suggesting to me the method used here.

* If λ changes by a factor of 10, σ is only doubled.

* Lovell, , Proc. Roy. Soc. 157 (1936), 311;CrossRefGoogle ScholarAppleyard, , Proc. Physical Soc. 49 (Extra Part) (1937), 118.CrossRefGoogle Scholar