https://doi.org/10.1140/epjb/e2002-00364-9
Conductivity of ultrathin Pb films during growth on Si(111) at low temperatures
Institut für Festkörperphysik, Universität Hannover,
Appelstrasse 2, 30167 Hannover, Germany
Corresponding author: a henzler@fkp.uni-hannover.de
Received:
13
February
2002
Revised:
8
August
2002
Published online:
19
November
2002
The electronic properties of thin metallic films strongly depend on their structure.
For the preparation of ultrathin films (0.8 to 12 ML) Pb was grown on a Si (111)-
structure at temperatures below 25 K. Percolation as measured by DC conductance starts
at 0.7 ML. Up to 4 ML the growing film is disordered. During continuation of the growth the film
recrystallizes epitaxially and layer-by-layer growth connected with oscillations of conductivity and LEED intensities is observed even at 25 K. The defect structure as determined by SPA-LEED and the quantum size
effect allow a quantitative description of the conductivity oscillations. The experiments show, that the electronic properties of ultrathin Pb films are clearly correlated with the structural properties of the film.
PACS: 73.61.At – Metal and metallic alloys / 68.55.Jk – Structure and morphology; thickness; crystalline orientation and texture / 81.40.Rs – Electrical and magnetic properties
© EDP Sciences, Società Italiana di Fisica, Springer-Verlag, 2002
