Insulator-metal Transition in a Conserva- Tive System: an Evidence for Mobility Coa- Lescence in Island Silver Films

Aging, which manifests itself as an irreversible increase in electrical resistance, in island metal films is of considerable interest from both academic as well as applications point of view. Aging is attributed to various causes, oxidation of islands and mobility of islands followed by coalescence (mobility coalescence) being the main contenders. The effect of parameters like substrate temperature, substrate cleaning, residual gases in the vacuum chamber, ultrasonic vibration of the substrate suggest that the mobility coalescence is responsible for the aging in island metal films. Electron microscopy studies show evidence for mobility of islands at high substrate temperatures. The comparison of aging data of island silver films deposited on glass substrates in ultra high vacuum and high vacuum suggests that the oxidation of islands, as being responsible for aging in these films, can be ruled out. Further, under certain conditions of deposition, island silver films exhibit a dramatic and drastic fall in electrical resistance, marking the insulator-metal transition. This interesting transition observed in a conservative system-after the stoppage of deposition of the filmis a clear evidence for mobility coalescence of islands even at room temperature. The sudden fall in resistance is preceded by fluctuations in resistance with time and the fluctuations are attributed to the making and breaking of the percolation path in the film.