Abstract
Electrical conduction in very thin metal films deposited onto single-crystal sodium chloride substrates has been investigated. The conduction for annealed films is found to be thermally activated with a negative temperature coefficient of resistance. Inspection of the films in an electron microscope shows them to consist of separated microparticles. Electron tunneling through the vacuum between microparticles is generally assumed to be the mechanism of electrical conduction. In this work an attempt has been made to show that conduction can occur in the substrate surface. The conduction is believed to be electron tunneling between regions in the substrate surface immediately under the metallic particles. The current carriers can be contributed to the insulator surface regions by the metallic microparticles. In addition, an activation energy is thought to be necessary before tunneling can occur. This energy is electrostatic in nature and is dependent upon the average size and separation of the microparticle regions.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
