Modeling and tackling resistivity scaling in metal nanowires

TL;DR

This paper presents an analytical model for resistivity in metal nanowires considering quantum effects and various scattering mechanisms, providing deeper insight into size-dependent resistivity scaling.

Contribution

It introduces a self-consistent analytical solution to the Boltzmann transport equation that accounts for grain boundary and surface roughness scattering in nanowires.

Findings

Resistivity scaling is more complex than a simple power law due to quantum effects.

Surface roughness scattering significantly influences resistivity at nanoscale dimensions.

The model highlights the importance of statistical parameters of scattering mechanisms.

Abstract

A self-consistent analytical solution of the multi-subband Boltzmann transport equation with collision term describing grain boundary and surface roughness scattering is presented to study the resistivity scaling in metal nanowires. The different scattering mechanisms and the influence of their statistical parameters are analyzed. Instead of a simple power law relating the height or width of a nanowire to its resistivity, the picture appears to be more complicated due to quantum-mechanical scattering and quantization effects, especially for surface roughness scattering.