Metal-insulator transition in thin nickel films

We report on measurements of the electrical resistance of thin nickel films deposited at room temperature (22 °C) under a pressure of less than 2×${10}^{\mathrm{-}7}$ Torr with a deposition rate of 0.1 nm/s. The mechanisms responsible for the conduction in the film have been identified. In the thickness region 5.7≤d≤10.4 nm the resistance of the film is well described by (d-$d_c$${)}^{\mathrm{-}t}$, where t=1.27±0.10 and $d_c$=3.8±0.2 nm. This agrees well with the theoretical calculations of t for conduction in two-dimensional systems and with our previous work on chromium films.