Premium
Weak Localization and Electron–Electron Interaction in Ultrathin Antimony Films
Author(s) -
Hermann B. A.,
Haier P.,
Didschuns I.,
Esser N.,
Richter W.,
Lüders K.
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
physica status solidi (b)
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.51
H-Index - 109
eISSN - 1521-3951
pISSN - 0370-1972
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1521-3951(199801)205:1<241::aid-pssb241>3.0.co;2-f
Subject(s) - weak localization , antimony , electron , conductance , materials science , condensed matter physics , substrate (aquarium) , electron localization function , monolayer , analytical chemistry (journal) , chemistry , nanotechnology , physics , magnetoresistance , chromatography , oceanography , quantum mechanics , geology , magnetic field , metallurgy
This study focuses on the resistance of a series of antimony films (Sb) on GaAs substrates of a thickness lower than previously reported. Additionally, ultrathin Sb films of a crystalline structure different from bulk Sb are investigated. The latter ultrathin films grow induced by the GaAs substrate. The data are discussed in the framework of thermally activated hopping, incipient Anderson localization, weak anti‐localization and enhanced electron–electron interaction theory. The ultrathin films (8 and 10 monolayers (ML) thick, 2.16 and 2.7 nm, respectively) show Mott hopping at a temperature close to room temperature. At intermediate temperature, both films exhibit thermally activated conductance with an exponent of ν = 1/5. The 8 ML (2.16 nm) film presents evidence of incipient Anderson localization with p = 1.8, as it displays a transition from T p /2 to T p /3 between 6.5 and 7.5 K. The resistance of the 10 ML (2.7 nm) film rises with the logarithm of temperature below approximately 20 K. Weak anti‐localization and enhanced electron–electron interaction predict such a temperature dependence in two dimensions. The films between 20 ML (5.4 nm) and 35 ML (9.5 nm) can be consistently described with the latter theory, leading to values of p between 1.2 and 2.7 depending on the temperature range.