By using self-organized patterning of polycrystalline Au electrodes, we demonstrate that the electrical resistivity of the film can be forced to become strongly anisotropic by tailoring a nanoscale ripple undulation at the metal-vacuum interface. Electrons traveling orthogonally to the nanoripples are affected by a strong increase in resistivity, while when electrons travel parallel to the undulations of the rippled film, the resistivity is almost unaffected and even shows a slight reduction. The observations are quantitatively interpreted within the semiclassical size-effect regime in terms of an increase of surface scattering from the large-scale corrugations and of a reduction of diffuse scattering from atomic-scale roughness.
Tailoring resisitivity anisotropy of nanorippled metal films: Electrons surfing on gold waves
TOMA, ANDREA;BUATIER DE MONGEOT, FRANCESCO
2012-01-01
Abstract
By using self-organized patterning of polycrystalline Au electrodes, we demonstrate that the electrical resistivity of the film can be forced to become strongly anisotropic by tailoring a nanoscale ripple undulation at the metal-vacuum interface. Electrons traveling orthogonally to the nanoripples are affected by a strong increase in resistivity, while when electrons travel parallel to the undulations of the rippled film, the resistivity is almost unaffected and even shows a slight reduction. The observations are quantitatively interpreted within the semiclassical size-effect regime in terms of an increase of surface scattering from the large-scale corrugations and of a reduction of diffuse scattering from atomic-scale roughness.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.