CONDUCTIVITY BEHAVIOR OF ION-IRRADIATED PERCOLATING GOLD-FILMS

Thin gold films (t<10 nm) are prepared in an UHV system simultaneously onto quartz substrates for resistance measurements and onto NaCl crys tals for electron-microscopic investigation. Both samples are irradiat ed by Ar+ ions with various fluences. The temperature dependence of th e resistance and the magnetoresistance (B <5 T) is measured for the no nirradiated samples as well as for the irradiated samples. Accordingly , each pair of samples is investigated by TEM to examine the influence of irradiation on the film topography. From this it is possible to ex plain the variation of the conductivity behavior for the irradiated an d nonirradiated gold films. By magnetoresistance measurements we find a gradual shift from normal to anomalous electron diffusion due to the topographical changes in the Au films.