Determination of the electron mean free path in the 1–1.8 eV energy range in thin gold layers using ballistic electron emission microscopy

Issue		Eur. Phys. J. Appl. Phys. Volume 5, Number 3, March 1999


Page(s)		237 - 242
DOI		10.1051/epjap:1999134

DOI: 10.1051/epjap:1999134

Eur. Phys. J. AP 5, 237-242

Determination of the electron mean free path
in the 1-1.8 eV energy range in thin gold layers
using ballistic electron emission microscopy

R. Coratger - C. Girardin - R. Pechou - F. Ajustron - J. Beauvillain

CEMES/CNRS, 29 rue J. Marvig, B.P. 4347, 31055 Toulouse Cedex 4, France
coratger@cemes.fr

Received: 21 September 1998 / Revised and accepted: 15 December 1998

Abstract
Electron mean free path ( $\lambda_{\rm a}$ ) has been investigated using Ballistic Electron Emission Microscopy (BEEM). Using the average collector current computed from large scale BEEM images and a model in which the current exponentially decreases in terms of metal thickness, a constant value of $\lambda_{\rm a}$ = 11 nm has been calculated in the 1-1.8 eV electron energy range. On small scale images, the study of well-defined BEEM domains shows that either $\lambda_{\rm a}$ or the interface transmission factor (or both) may differ from their average values. These local variations from one grain to another are interpreted as interface defects and channeling of the electron beam due to the electronic and crystallographic of the gold layer.

PACS
61.16.-d Electron, ion, and scanning probe microscopy - 73.40.Ns Metal-nonmetal contacts

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Determination of the electron mean free path in the 1-1.8 eV energy range in thin gold layers using ballistic electron emission microscopy

Determination of the electron mean free path
in the 1-1.8 eV energy range in thin gold layers
using ballistic electron emission microscopy