Evidence of weak Anderson localization revealed by the resistivity, transverse magnetoresistance and Hall effect measured on thin Cu films deposited on mica

Abstract

Abstract We report the resistivity of 5 Cu films approximately 65 nm thick, measured between 5 and 290 K, and the transverse magnetoresistance and Hall effect measured at temperatures 5 K L/2 (where L = 39 nm is the electron mean free path in the bulk at room temperature), and negative in samples where D 3 Tesla. A negative magnetoresistance in Cu films has been considered evidence of charge transport involving weak Anderson localization. These experiments reveal that electron scattering by disordered grain boundaries found along L leads to weak Anderson localization, confirming the localization phenomenon predicted by the quantum theory of resistivity of nanometric metallic connectors. Anderson localization becomes a severe obstacle for the successful development of the circuit miniaturization effort pursued by the electronic industry, for it leads to a steep rise in the resistivity of nanometric metallic connectors with decreasing wire dimensions (D < L/2) employed in the design of Integrated Circuits.