Resistivity scaling in metallic thin films and nanowires due to grain boundary and surface roughness scattering

TL;DR

This paper introduces an analytical model to predict how resistivity in metallic thin films and nanowires increases with size, considering grain boundaries, surface roughness, and quantum effects without relying on fitting parameters.

Contribution

It presents a comprehensive, parameter-free analytical model for resistivity scaling that incorporates detailed statistical and quantum mechanical factors.

Findings

Model accurately predicts resistivity increase with decreasing size.

Includes detailed grain and surface roughness statistics.

Accounts for quantum confinement effects.

Abstract

A modeling approach, based on an analytical solution of the semiclassical multi-subband Boltzmann transport equation, is presented to study resistivity scaling in metallic thin films and nanowires due to grain boundary and surface roughness scattering. While taking into account the detailed statistical properties of grains, roughness and barrier material as well as the metallic band structure and quantum mechanical aspects of scattering and confinement, the model does not rely on phenomenological fitting parameters.