Macroscopic surface roughness and the resistivity of thin metal films

Abstract

The effect of macroscopic surface roughness upon the resistivity of thin metal films has been calculated by computer modelling of the form of these films. It is shown that, as a consequence of the tendency for the films to be islandised, the resistivity as a function of decreasing mean film thickness rises well above the predictions of conventional surface scattering theories. Theoretical results are compared with existing experimental evidence and good agreement is obtained for films of potassium, gold, aluminium, copper and palladium.