Abstract
We present a systematic in situ study of the effect of postdeposition low-energy (200eV) ion bombardment on resistance and surface topography of ultrathin iron (<50Å) and copper (<130Å) films. The ion-beam-induced nanosmoothening occurs while material is being removed and gives rise to an initial decrease in resistance followed by a steady increase as the film is subsequently uniformly eroded. The shunt resistance associated with the resistance decrease is found to be independent of the thickness of the underlying film, thus indicating that the conductivity enhancement is due primarily to surface modification.
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