The resistivity maximum in the ternary spin glass system Au-Cu-Mn

The temperature of the resistivity maximum, T_m, in the ternary spin glass system Au-Cu-Mn has been analysed in terms of Larsen's theory in order to highlight the contribution from the Kondo effect and the RKKY interaction energy to the resistivity maximum in spin glasses. The competition between these two contributions has been effectively illustrated and a good agreement with theory is obtained for samples with varying magnetic and nonmagnetic atom concentration. A comparison of the dependence of T_m and the RKKY interaction energy on the lattice pressure generated due to addition of Au with reported pressure studies on Mn alloys shows that there is a close relation between the lattice pressure and the externally applied pressure.