Electrical resistivity and morphology of Sn _1-x/Si _x core-shell cluster network prepared by a plasma-gas-condensation cluster source

Sn _1-x/Si _x cluster assembled films have been prepared by a plasma-gas-condensation cluster beam deposition apparatus. Transmission electron microscope images indicate that individual clusters have core-shell morphology, where Sn cores are covered by Si shells. Temperature dependence of electrical resistivity exhibits a metallic behavior and a superconducting transition at low temperature for 0 < × < 0.20, while a semiconductor-type behavior and no superconductivity down to 2K for x > 0.29. These results indicate that the cluster network and/or core-shell morphology Sn _1-x/Si _x cluster assembled films changes with x.