Faculty Publications

Effect of Interface Band Structure on Hot-Electron Attenuation Lengths in Au Thin Films

Document Type

Article

Journal/Book/Conference Title

Physical Review B - Condensed Matter and Materials Physics

Volume

77

Issue

3

Abstract

The hot-electron attenuation length in thin Au films has been determined by means of ballistic electron emission microscopy on Au Si (111), Au Si (001), and Au GaAs (001) Schottky diodes. The attenuation length measured for Au GaAs (001) was approximately ten times shorter than attenuation lengths measured on the Si substrates. In addition, the slope of the attenuation length vs tip bias decreases above the X conduction band minimum in GaAs. These observations are attributed to differences in the amount of allowed parallel momentum at the interfaces of both semiconductors. These results suggest that these apparent attenuation lengths are not an intrinsic property of the metal and can be utilized as a powerful method to probe the band structure at metal-semiconductor interfaces. © 2008 The American Physical Society.

Department

Department of Physics

Original Publication Date

1-25-2008

DOI of published version

10.1103/PhysRevB.77.033416

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