ACOUSTIC-MODE COUPLING AND ELECTRON HEATING IN THIN METAL-FILMS

We discuss the heating of electrons by a steady-state electric field i n an unbounded thin metal film by considering the energy flow from the electron system to the acoustic modes of the film. Using the dispersi on relationships and the resulting density of states for the acoustic modes calculated from a non-Debye model, and a deformation potential c oupling between the electrons and the acoustic modes, it is shown that the relationship between the electric field and the electron temperat ure is dependent on the coupling between acoustic modes at the surface of the film. At low excitation we show the energy relaxation is domin ated by the antisymmetric Rayleigh mode.