RESISTANCE AND MAGNETIC-BEHAVIOR OF CE1-XALX THIN-FILMS

Ce1-xAlx thin films (thickness < 50 nm) of various compositions 0.4 < x < 0.96 are prepared under high-vacuum conditions (p similar to 10(-7 ) mbar) on amorphous carbon films at room temperature. Structural prop erties of these films are obtained using transmission electron microsc opy. The resistance of the Ce1-xAlx films is measured for temperatures between 1.5 and 300 K and applying magnetic fields (perpendicular to the film plane) up to B = 5 T. For some of the films magnetic measurem ents are carried out using a SQUID magnetometer. The results show that Ce1-xAlx thin films with 0.6 < x < 0.8 exhibit heavy-fermion (HF) pro perties similar to bulk alloys, although the films in this concentrati on range an nanocrystalline. We discuss the results by comparing the p roperties of the films to bulk properties and in the framework of 2d-r esistance behaviour. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserve d.