Authors

D. J. Shelton; T. Sun; J. C. Ginn; K. R. Coffey;G. D. Boreman

Comments

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Abstract

The behavior of nanoscale infrared antenna elements depends upon the dynamic conductivity of thin metallic films. Spectroscopic ellipsometer measurements of noble metal films show that when the product of the incident radiation frequency and the relaxation time is greater than unity, anomalous dynamic electron transport effects occur. In this regime electron scattering increases the conductivity of alloyed metallic films as demonstrated by ellipsometry measurements of films from the Au-Cu system. A binary alloy thin film was fabricated with equal parts of Au and Cu, and the dynamic conductivity was measured to be 300% larger than the high frequency conductivity of pure Au or pure Cu films at wavelengths in the 3-5 mu m band. When electronic scattering is reduced, ellipsometer measurements of Au and Cu films taken near 4 K demonstrate that the IR conductivity decreases to 20% of the value measured at 300 K at wavelengths in the 3-5 mu m band. Using measured dc relaxation times, a model to explain deviations from Drude behavior was developed using the theory of the anomalous skin effect and frequency dependent relaxation time. This model was in quantitative agreement with the measured data. The ability to design an alloyed metallic thin film using a calculated ideal dc relaxation time to produce the greatest possible dynamic conductivity for infrared antennas and metamaterials was demonstrated.

Journal Title

Journal of Applied Physics

Volume

104

Issue/Number

10

Publication Date

1-1-2008

Document Type

Article

WOS Identifier

WOS:000262605800168

ISSN

0021-8979

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