ELECTRON RELAXATION IN DISORDERED GOLD-FILMS

The analysis of quantum corrections to magnetoconductivity of thin Au films responsible for the effect of weak electron localization has mad e it possible to determine the temperature dependences of electron pha se relaxation time in the temperature range 0.5-50 K for different deg rees of crystal lattice disorder. The disorder was enhanced by irradia ting the films in vacuum with 3.5-keV Ar ions. The experimental data c learly demonstrate that the contribution of electron-electron interact ion to electron phase relaxation increases with disorder and support t he theoretical prediction that the frequency of electron-phonon scatte ring tends to diminish upon a decrease in electron mean free path. It is found that the spin-orbit scattering rate decreases with disorder. In our opinion, such unusual behavior can take place for thin films up on decreasing the electron mean free path, provided that the surface e lectron scattering contributes significantly to the total spin-orbit s cattering. [S0163-1829(98)06636-3].