Coulomb-glass-like behavior of ultrathin films of metals

Abstract

A field-effect conductance-modulation experiment has been performed on ultrathin films of metals deposited onto amorphous germanium substrates. For the thinnest films at the lowest temperatures, the conductance exhibits logarithmic decay, memory, aging, and hysteretic effects in its response to changes in gate voltage. These glasslike phenomena disappear above a characteristic temperature, and become immeasurable as film thickness is increased.