Electrical transport studies of quench condensed Bi films at the initial stage of film growth: Structural transition and the possible formation of electron droplets

The electrical transport properties of amorphous Bi films prepared by sequential quench deposition have been studied in situ. A superconductor-insulator (S-I) transition was observed as the film was made increasingly thicker, consistent with previous studies. Unexpected behavior was found at the initial stage of film growth, a regime not explored in detail prior to the present work. As the temperature was lowered, a positive temperature coefficient of resistance (dR/dT > 0) emerged, with the resistance reaching a minimum before the dR/dT became negative again. This behavior was accompanied by a non-linear and asymmetric I-V characteristic. As the film became thicker, conventional variable-range hopping (VRH) was recovered. We attribute the observed crossover in the electrical transport properties to an amorphous to granular structural transition. The positive dR/dT found in the amorphous phase of Bi formed at the initial stage of film growth was qualitatively explained by the formation of metallic droplets within the electron glass.Comment: 7 pages, 6 figure

Germanium quantum well with two subbands occupied: kinetic properties

Multisubband transport of the p-type Si₀.₄Ge₀.₆/Ge/Si₀.₄Ge₀.₆ heterostructure has been investigated by means of magnetotransport measurements at low temperatures and high magnetic fields. Two frequency Shubnikov–de Haas oscillations indicate occupation of two subbands. This allows us to determine the densities and mobilities of the charge carriers on each subband. Shubnikov–de Haas oscillations reveal two 2D conduction subbands with carrier effective masses of 0.112m₀ and 0.131m₀. The quantum Hall ferromagnetic states which results from the crossing of two Landau levels with opposite spin and different subband was observed in SiGe systems for the first time