Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-tf8b9 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-25T17:34:55.297Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Electrical Conduction in Granular Metal Films

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 February 2011

J.E. Morris ,
A. Mello  and
C.J. Adkins
J.E. Morris
Affiliation:
Department of Electrical Engineering, T.J. Watson School of Engineering, State University of New York, Binghamton, NY 13901
A. Mello
Affiliation:
IBM Corporation, Department of Opto-Electronics, Endicott, NY 13760
C.J. Adkins
Affiliation:
Department of Physics, Cavendish Laboratory, Cambridge University, U.K
Get access

Abstract

In the early 1970's, Abeles et al developed a widely accepted model for electrical conduction in granular metal films based upon an assumed correlation between metal particle size and inter-particle tunneling gap width. The paper critically examines this assumption and other aspects of the theory. No observation of any such correlation has been reported, nor should it be expected, particularly in discontinuous films. The latter point requires separate considerations of the very different structures of discontinuous metal films, granular metals and cermets, using the “granular” term here in a more limited sense than usual.

Other aspects of the theory considered include its implied percolation topology and the field effect. Experimental data are also re-evaluated in terms of other common models. The paper concludes with a brief review of recent work in discontinuous metal films with suggestions for future theoretical and experimental work.

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 195: Symposium S – Physical Phenomena in Granular Materials , 1990 , 181
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 1990

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

1. Swann, W.F.G.. Philos. Mag. 28, 467 (1914).Google Scholar
2. Gorter, C.J.. Physica 17, 777 (1951).Google Scholar
3. Darmois, E.. J. Phys. Radium 17, 210 (1956).Google Scholar
4. Neugebauer, C.A. and Webb, M.B.. J. Appl. Phys. 33, 74 (1962).Google Scholar
5. Hill, R.M.. Pro. Roy. Soc. London Ser. A 309, 375 (1969).Google Scholar
6. Abeles, B., Sheng, P., Courts, M.D. and Arie, Y.. Adv. Phys. 24, 407 (1975).Google Scholar
7. Abeles, B.. RCA Revlew 36, 594 (1975);Google Scholar
8. Abeles, B., in Awl. Solid State Sci, vol.6, edited by Wolfe, R. (1976).Google Scholar
9. Morris, J.E. and Courts, T.J.. Thin Solid Films 47, 1 (1977).Google Scholar
10. Melksin, Z.H., in Physics of Thin Fims vol. 8, edited by Hass, G., Francombe, M.H. and Hoffman, R.W. (Academic Press, New York, 1975) p. 99.Google Scholar
11. Adkins, C.J., Thomas, J.M.D. and Young, M.W.. J. Phys. C: Solid State Phys. 13, 3427 (1980).Google Scholar
12. Adkins, C.J.. J. Phys. C: Solid State Phys. 15, 7143 (1982).Google Scholar
13. Benjamin, J.D. and Adkins, C.J.. J. Phys. C: Solid State Phys. 17, 559 (1984).Google Scholar
14. Adkins, C.J., Benjamin, J.D., Thomas, J.M.D., Gardner, J.W. and McGeown, A.J.. J. Phys. C: Solid State Phys. 17, 4633 (1984).Google Scholar
15. Gardner, J.W. and Adkins, C.J.. J. Phys. C: Solid State Phys. 18, 6523 (1985).Google Scholar
16. McGeown, A.J. and Adkins, C.J.. J. Phys. C: Solid State Phys. 19, 1753 (1986).Google Scholar
17. Adkins, C.J.. J. Phys. C: Solid State Phys. 20, 235 (1987).Google Scholar
18. Adkins, C.J.. J. Phys: Condensed Matter 1, 1253 (1989).Google Scholar
19. Gardner, J.W. and Adkins, C. J.. Physica 107B, 419 (1981).Google Scholar
20. Granqvist, C.G. and Buhrman, R.A.. J. Appl. Phys. 47, 5 (1975).Google Scholar
21. Benjamin, J.D.. PhD thesis, Cambridge University, 1982.Google Scholar
22. Leaver, K.D.. J. Phys. C: Solid State Phys. 10, 249 (1977).Google Scholar
23. Helnrlchs, J., Kumar, A.A. and Kumar, N., J. Phys. C: Solid State Phys. 2, 3249 (1976).Google Scholar
24. Borziak, P., Dlukov, V., Kostenko, A., Kulyupin, Yu. and Nepijko, S.. Thin Solid Films 36, 21 (1976).Google Scholar
25. Morris, J.E., presented at the 8th Internat. Confer. on Thin Films San Diego, CA, 1990 (Thin Solid Films, to be published.)Google Scholar