Modeling surface roughness scattering in metallic nanowires

Abstract

Ando's model provides a rigorous quantum-mechanical framework for electron-surface roughness scattering, based on the detailed roughness structure. We apply this method to metallic nanowires and improve the model introducing surface roughness distribution functions on a finite domain with analytical expressions for the average surface roughness matrix elements. This approach is valid for any roughness size and extends beyond the commonly used Prange-Nee approximation. The resistivity scaling is obtained from the self-consistent relaxation time solution of the Boltzmann transport equation and is compared to Prange-Nee's approach and other known methods. The results show that a substantial drop in resistivity can be obtained for certain diameters by achieving a large momentum gap between Fermi level states with positive and negative momentum in the transport direction.

25 pages, 11 figures

References in corpus (1)

• Resistivity scaling and electron relaxation times in metallic nanowires

Cited by in corpus (6)

• Thickness dependence of the resistivity of Platinum group metal thin films
• First-principles-based screening method for resistivity scaling of anisotropic metals
• Resistivity scaling in metallic thin films and nanowires due to grain boundary and surface roughness scattering
• On optimal currents of indistinguishable particles
• Validity criteria for Fermi's golden rule scattering rates applied to metallic nanowires
• Analytic solution of Ando's surface roughness model with finite domain distribution functions