Intrinsic electron-glassiness in strongly-localized Be films

Abstract

We present results of out--of-equilibrium transport measurements made on strongly-localized Beryllium films and demonstrate that these films exhibit all the earmarks of intrinsic electron-glasses. These include slow (logarithmic) relaxation, memory effects, and more importantly, the observation of a memory dip that has a characteristic width compatible with the carrier-concentration of beryllium. The latter is an empirical signature of the electron-glass. Comparing various non-equilibrium attributes of the beryllium films with other systems that exhibit intrinsic electron-glasses behavior reveals that high carrier-concentration is their only common feature rather than the specifics of the disorder that rendered them insulating. It is suggested that this should be taken as an important hint for any theory that attempts to account for the surprisingly slow relaxation times observed in these systems.

arXiv commentPhys.Rev. B 82, 195404 (2010)

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• Observation of thermally activated glassiness and memory dip in a-NbSi insulating thin films
• Electron glass effects in amorphous NbSi films
• Electron glass signatures up to room temperature in disordered insulators
• Anomalous thermal activation of the electron glass dynamics in a-InOx and granular aluminum