Intrinsic electron glassiness in strongly localized Be films

Z. Ovadyahu*, Y. M. Xiong, P. W. Adams

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

14 Scopus citations

Abstract

We present results of out-of-equilibrium transport measurements made on strongly localized Beryllium films and demonstrate that these films exhibit all the earmarks of intrinsic electron glasses. These include slow (logarithmic) relaxation, memory effects, and more importantly, the observation of a memory dip that has a characteristic width compatible with the carrier concentration of beryllium. The latter is an empirical signature of the electron glass. Comparing various nonequilibrium attributes of the beryllium films with other systems that exhibit intrinsic electron-glasses behavior reveals that high carrier concentration is their only common feature rather than the specifics of the disorder that rendered them insulating. It is suggested that this should be taken as an important hint for any theory that attempts to account for the surprisingly slow relaxation times observed in these systems.

Original languageEnglish
Article number195404
JournalPhysical Review B - Condensed Matter and Materials Physics
Volume82
Issue number19
DOIs
StatePublished - 3 Nov 2010

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