Open AccessElectron–phonon interaction in thin copper and gold films
Author(s) -
Karvonen J. T.,
Taskinen L. J.,
Maasilta I. J.
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
physica status solidi (c)
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.21
H-Index - 46
eISSN - 1610-1642
pISSN - 1610-1634
DOI - 10.1002/pssc.200405326
Subject(s) - condensed matter physics , scattering , superconductivity , phonon , copper , scattering rate , joule heating , thin film , electron , impurity , electron scattering , materials science , metal , phonon scattering , chemistry , physics , nanotechnology , optics , metallurgy , composite material , organic chemistry , quantum mechanics
We have studied the electron–phonon (e–p) interaction in thin Cu and Au films at sub‐Kelvin temperatures with the help of the hot electron effect, using symmetric normal metal‐insulator‐superconductor tunnel junction pairs as thermometers. By Joule heating the electron gas and measuring the electron and the lattice temperatures simultaneously, we show that the electron–phonon scattering rate follows a T 4 temperature dependence in both metals. The result is in accordance with the theory of e–p scattering in disordered films with vibrating boundaries and impurities, in contrast to the T 3 ‐law expected for pure samples, and T 2 ‐law for static disorder. (© 2004 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)