Resistivity of rf sputter-thinned aluminum films

It is shown that relatively thick (10 000-Å) films of aluminum thinned by sputter-etching exhibit an increase in both the room-temperature and helium-temperature resistivities, and that this increase is too large to be explained in terms of the Fuchs (thickness) size effect or by changes in the specular scattering probability p. A part of the increase in the helium-temperature resistivity anneals out after 2 h at 250°C but a large increment remains. It is suggested that topographic and structural changes in the films may be responsible. © 1969 The American Institute of Physics.