Engineering ultra-strong electron-phonon coupling and nonclassical electron transport in crystalline gold with nanoscale interfaces.

ABSTRACT: Electrical resistivity in good metals, particularly noble metals such as gold (Au), silver (Ag), or copper, increases linearly with temperature (T) for T > Θ_D, where Θ_D is the Debye temperature. This is because the coupling (λ) between the electrons and the lattice vibrations, or phonons, in these metals is weak, with λ ~ 0.1-0.2. In this work, we outline a nanostructuring strategy of crystalline Au where this concept of metallic transport breaks down. We show that by embedding a distributed network of ultra-small Ag nanoparticles (AgNPs) of radius ~ 1-2 nm inside a crystalline Au shell, the electron-phonon interaction can be enhanced, with an effective λ as high as  ≈ 20. With increasing AgNP density, the electrical resistivity deviates from T-linearity and approache

SUBMITTER: Kumbhakar S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11696232 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature