Semiconducting behaviour of thin bismuth films vacuum-deposited at different substrate temperatures

TLDR: In this article, thin bismuth films were vacuum-deposited onto glass substrates at different substrate temperatures in a vacuum of 2×10−5 torr, and the resistance of the films has been measured as a function of temperature in situ during and after annealing.

Abstract: Thin bismuth films (thickness 25 nm) have been vacuum-deposited onto glass substrates at different substrate temperatures in a vacuum of 2×10−5 torr. The resistance of the films has been measured as a function of temperaturein situ during and after annealing. It is found that the resistance of all the annealed films decreases with increasing temperature thus showing a semiconducting type of behaviour. The films do not show a resistivity minimum observed in thicker films [1]. The absence of a resistivity minimum is attributed to the thinness of the films and consequent larger energy band gap and smaller grain size.