On the field effect of the electrical conductance of discontinuous thin metal films

Abstract

In the activated tunneling model of electrical conductance of discontinuous thin metal films, non-Ohmic conductance has thus far been explained by a field-dependent activation energy at a high electric field. We point out that this interpretation is not appropriate. Alternatively, the field effect should be ascribed to the non-Ohmicity of the tunneling current density at a high electric field. Results of the computation are presented.