The influence of interface roughness on electrical transport in nanoscale metallic multilayers

Abstract

We study the effects of annealing on the electrical resistivity of thin metallic multilayers of nickel and aluminum. Resistivity is seen to rise with anneal temperature. Above a specific temperature the resistivity decreases. We model this behavior based on the interface evolution due to the formation of intermetallic nanocrystals. The rise is attributed to interface roughening and to constraints placed on the electron mean-free paths by the nanocrystals. At high temperatures, the lateral coalescence preserves the smooth stratification producing the observed drop in film resistivity.