Effect of Zn substitution for Co on the transport properties of Y BaCo4O7

Electrical resistivity and Seebeck coefficients of Y BaCo_4−xZn_xO₇ (x=0.0,0.5,1.0,2.0) were investigated in the temperature range 350-1000 K. It was found that the electrical resistivity and activation energy increase with increasing Zn concentration, while Seebeck coefficients do not increase but decrease when electrical resistivity increases. We explained the increase of electrical resistivity and the drop of Seebeck coefficients for Zn-substituted samples by the decrease of carrier mobility, rather than of carrier concentration. The effect of oxygen absorption and desorption on the electrical resistivity and Seebeck coefficients was also investigated. An abrupt change of transport properties happens at about 650 K for x=0.0 and 0.5 samples measured in oxygen. For x=1.0 and 2.0 samples, however, such change disappears and the transport behavior in oxygen is almost same as that in nitrogen due to the significant suppression of oxygen diffusion caused by the higher Zn concentration in these samples.     

The influence of Cr-content on curie temperature,crystallization temperature and room temperature electrical resistivity of Fe85−xCrxB15 metallic glasses

Amorphous ribbons of nominal compositions Fe_85-xCr_xB₁₅,_x =5, 10, 15 and 20 at%, were produced by a continuous liquid quenching technique. The Curie temperatures were measured using several methods. A quite large decrease with increasing Cr-content is observed: 20 K/at% Cr around 300 K. The Curie temperatures are compared with those of similar metallic glass systems based on Fe and Cr reported in the literature. The crystallization temperatures determined from measurements of the electrical resistivity versus temperature at a heating rate of ≈10K/min are obtained as a function of Cr-content, showing an increase in stability between 10 and 15 at% Cr. Finally, the room temperature (≈295K) electrical resistivities of as quenched and crystallized samples are given. The resistivity of the as quenched ribbons in nearly independent of Cr-content (≈128 μΩ cm) while the resistivity of the crystallized ribbons show an increase of ≈2.7 μΩ cm/at% Cr.     

The dependence of the phonon-resistivity on the residual resistivity in the Al-Ge and Al-Ga alloys

The electrical resistivity of aluminum based alloys containing s-p (Ge, Ga) impurities has been measured at 15, 20, 35 and 50 K. It was found that the temperature-dependent part of the resistivity ?(T) - ?₀ has a logarithmic dependence on ?₀ and is independent of the kind of impurities.     

Anomalies in transport properties of EuO under hydrostatic pressure due to bound magnetic polaron

Resistivity vs hydrostatic pressure has been measured at room temperature for several EuO samples which span a large range of resistivity. We show that the pressure coefficient of activation energy of resistivity β = KT (d log ?/d p) varies continuously with room temperature resistivity. The samples which present an insulator-metal Transition have unusual values of β. We relate these values to the presence of bound magnetic polaron or molecular bound magnetic polaron.     

Transport properties and the anisotropy of Ba1 − x K x Fe2As2 single crystals in normal and superconducting states

The transport and superconducting properties of Ba_{1 ? x} K _x Fe₂As₂ single crystals with T _c ≈ 31 K were studied. Both in-plane and out-of-plane resistivity was measured by a modified Montgomery method. The in-plane resistivity is almost the same for all studied samples, unlike the out-of-plane resistivity, which differs considerably. We have found that the resistivity anisotropy γ = ρ _c /ρ _ab is almost independent of temperature and lies in the range 10–30 for the studied samples. This indicates the extrinsic nature of high out-of-plane resistivity, which may be due to the presence of flat defects along Fe-As layers in the samples. This statement is supported by comparatively small effective mass anisotropy, obtained from the upper critical field measurements, and from the observation of the so-called “Friedel transition,” which indicates the existence of some disorder in the samples in the c-direction.     

Disappearance of the kondo effect of Ce impurities in (La,Th) based alloys

We present an experimental study of the resistivity at low temperature of (La, Th) based alloys with Ce impurities. We observe a logarithmic behaviour of the resistivity vs temperature at low concentration of Th. When we increase the concentration of Th, the magnetic resistivity is no longer logarithmic but linear with T, and at still higher concentrations of Th, the anomaly in the resistivity disappears. Moreover, the curve of the slope of the logarithmic resistivity vs the concentration of Th goes through a maximum for 20% Th before vanishing for 50% Th.     

Resistivity of thin gold films on mica induced by electron-surface scattering: Application of quantitative scanning tunneling microscopy

We report a comparison between the resistivity measured on thin gold films deposited on mica, with predictions based upon classical theories of size effects (Drude's, Sondheimer's and Calecki's), as well as predictions based upon quantum theories of electron-surface scattering (the modified theory of Sheng, Xing and Wang, the theory of Tesanovic, Jaric and Maekawa, and that of Trivedi and Aschroft). From topographic images of the surface recorded with a Scanning Tunneling Microscope, we determined the rms roughness amplitude, δ and the lateral correlation length, ξ corresponding to a Gaussian representation of the average height-height autocorrelation function, describing the roughness of each sample in the scale of length set by the Fermi wave length. Using (δ, ξ) as input data, we present a rigorous comparison between resistivity data and predictions based upon the theory of Calecki as well as quantum theoretical predictions without adjustable parameters. The resistivity was measured on gold films of different thickness evaporated onto mica substrates, between 4 K and 300 K. The resistivity data covers the range 0.1 < x(T) < 6.8, for 4 K < T < 300 K, where x(T) is the ratio between film thickness and electron mean free path in the bulk at temperature T. We experimentally identify electron-surface and electron-phonon scattering as the microscopic electron scattering mechanisms giving rise to the macroscopic resistivity. The different theories are all capable of estimating the thin film resistivity to an accuracy better than 10%; however the mean free path and the resistivity characterizing the bulk turn out to depend on film thickness. Surprisingly, only the Sondheimer theory and its quantum version, the modified theory of Sheng, Xing and Wang, predict and increase in resistivity induced by size effects that seems consistent with published galvanomagnetic phenomena also arising from electron-surface scattering measured at low temperatures.     

Investigation of the field-tuned quantum critical point in CeCoIn<Subscript>5</Subscript>

The main properties and the type of the field-tuned quantum critical point in the heavy-fermion metal CeCoIn₅ that arise upon application of magnetic fields B are considered within a scenario based on fermion condensation quantum phase transition. We analyze the behavior of the effective mass, resistivity, specific heat, charge, and heat transport as functions of applied magnetic fields B and show that, in the Landau Fermi liquid regime, these quantities demonstrate critical behavior, which is scaled by the critical behavior of the effective mass. We show that, in the high-field non-Fermi liquid regime, the effective mass exhibits very specific behavior, M*～ T^{? 2/3}, and the resistivity demonstrates T^2/3 dependence. Finally, at elevated temperatures, it changes to M*～T^?1/2, while the resistivity becomes linear in T. In zero magnetic field, the effective mass is controlled by temperature T and the resistivity is also linear in T. The obtained results are in good agreement with recent experimental facts.     

Electrical properties and spin fluctuations studies of Y(Co1−xNix)2 compounds

Synthesis by arc melting, the structural and the electric properties of Y(Co_1−xNi_x)₂ alloys were studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and four probe dc electrical measurements. XRD analysis (300 K) shows that all samples crystallize in a cubic MgCu₂-type structure. The lattice parameters linearly decrease with Ni content. Electrical resistivity for the Y(Co_1−xNi_x)₂ intermetallic series was measured in a temperature range of 15-1100 K. The parameters involved in the dependence of resistivity on temperature were determined. Residual, phonon and spin fluctuations resistivity were separated from electrical resistivity using both the Matthiesen formula and the Bloch-Gruneisen formula. The spin fluctuations resistivity of the Y(Co_1−xNi_x)₂ series are compared to the mean square amplitudes of spin fluctuations previously calculated by the Linear Muffin Tin Orbital-Tight Binding Approach method for these series in the literature. The contribution of spin fluctuations to total resistivity ρ_sf is proportional to T² at low temperatures. The proportionality parameter strongly reduces across the Y(Co_1−xNi_x)₂ series.     

The influence of strong bias voltage on the electrical and magnetic properties of the amorphous Gd-Co films

Some electrical and magnetic properties of Gd-Co films obtained by dc sputtering with bias voltage V_b are discussed. We observed a decrease in the compensation temperature and in the anomalous Hall resistivity with increasing bias voltage while the specific resistivity increases. The anisotropy constant, however, increases up to V_b = -200 V, where it reaches a maximum and then it decreases. Electrical conductivity of the films prepared with V_b greater than -100 V showed tunneling character. We conclude that not only resputtering of Gd atoms but also oxidation of Gd takes place during deposition when bias voltage is applied.     

Magnetic and electrical properties of amorphous PdCoP alloys

Magnetic susceptibility and electrical resistivity measurements were performed (Pd_100?xCo_x)₈₀P₂₀ alloys where 15 < x < 50. The magnetic properties show that these alloys undergo a ferromagnetic transition between 272 and 399 K as the cobalt concentration increases from 15 to 50 atomic %. Below 20 atomic % Co the short-range exchange interactions which produce the ferromagnetism are unable to establish a long-range magnetic order and a peak in the magnetization shows up at the lowest temperature range under an applied field of 6.0 kOe. The electrical resistivity of these alloys has been measured from 4.2 K up to the vinicity of the melting point (900 K). The electrical resistivity data could be interpreted by the coexistence fo a Kondo-like minimum and ferromagnetism. The minimum becomes less important as the transition metal concentration increases. The coefficients of In T and T² become smaller and concentration dependent. The spin ordering in such alloys can be simulated as either the ordering due to an applied “external field” or as an increase in “internal fields”. These are due to an increase in transition metal concentration. The negative magnetoresistivity is a strong indication of the existence of localized moment.     

Heavy fermion behaviour of the nonmagnetic CeCu4Al compound

We present measurements of the temperature dependence of the electrical resistivity, the thermopower and the specific heat of the hexagonal compound CeCu₄Al. At high temperatures, the electrical resistivity is characterized by a nearly temperature independent behaviour, followed by a continuous increase below 100K. No maximum has been found down to 1.7 K. The thermopower shows a positive maximum at about 30 K. As in CeCu₆ no negative values are observable in the range from 4.2 K up to a room temperature. The specific heat data between 7 and 15 K reveal a γ value around 280 mJ mol^-1 K^-2. Below this temperature range the specific heat c_p/T shows a rapid rise and crosses the value of 1 J mol^-1 K^-2 at about 1.45 K.     

An experimental argument — in Nb3Ge — for the Labbé-Barisic-Friedel theory of A-15 superconductors

When Nb₃Ge is irradiated with electrons of energy E, a range E (0.5–0.8 MeV) is observed where the critical temperature is unaffected by irradiation whereas the electrical resistivity increases. This fact is interpreted as being due to disordering of the germanium sublattice only, and gives strong support for the Labbé-Barisic-Friedel theory of one-dimensional superconductivity in A-15 compounds.     

Kinetic effects in manganites La1 − x Ag y MnO3 (y ≤ x)

We have measured the resistivity, magnetoresistance, and thermopower of ceramic manganite samples La_{1 ? x} Ag _y MnO₃ (y ≤ x) doped with silver as functions of temperature (4.2–350 K) and magnetic field (up to 26 kOe). A metal-insulator phase transition is observed in all investigated samples at temperatures close to room temperature. The behavior of the resistivity and thermopower in the high-temperature paramagnetic region is interpreted using the concept of small radius polaron; the activation energy decreases with increasing doping level. The resistivity in the low-temperature ferromagnetic region is approximated by the expression ρ_FM(T) = ρ₀ + AT ² + BT ^4.5 presuming the existence of electron-electron and electron-magnon interactions. A resistivity minimum and a strong magnetoresistive effect are observed at low temperatures. The latter effect is associated with scattering of charge carriers at grain boundaries, which are antiferromagnetically ordered relative to one another. The temperature dependence of thermopower in the magnetically ordered phase is described in the framework of a model taking into account the drag of charge carriers by magnons.     

Superconducting properties in Rh17S15 under magnetic field and pressure

We have studied superconducting properties by measuring the electrical resistivity and magnetization for a single crystal of Rh₁₇S₁₅ with a superconducting transition temperature T_c=5.4 K. The upper critical field H_c2(0) and the lower critical field H_c1(0) were obtained as 20.5 and 0.0033 T, respectively. Correspondingly, the coherence length and the penetration depth were estimated to be 40 and 4900 Å, respectively, indicating that Rh₁₇S₁₅ is a typical type-II superconductor with strong correlations of conduction electrons with a 4d-electron character of Rh atoms. The present electron correlations are formed to be enhanced with increasing pressure.     

Optical properties of layered superconductor LixZrNCl

We investigated band-insulator-to-superconductor transition in Li_xZrNCl driven by carrier doping by means of magnetization, resistivity, and optical reflectivity measurements. The magnetization and the resistivity measurements showed that the transition occurs at around x=0.05. The pristine β-ZrNCl exhibited reflectivity and optical conductivity spectra typical of an insulator, whereas in the spectrum of Li_0.37ZrNCl, Drude-like high reflectance band and associated plasma edge are apparently observed. This is the direct spectroscopic evidence of insulator-to-metal transition of Li_xZrNCl.     

Electrical transport properties of Ag3Sn compound

The temperature behaviors of the electrical resistivity in polycrystalline Ag₃Sn bulk samples were investigated experimentally. We found that the temperature dependence of resistivity shows concave function characteristics from 305 down to 26 K, and can be described by a parallel resistor model [H. Wiesmann et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 38 (1977) 782]. The resistivities of all samples reveal T² behavior from 26 down to . We compared our data to the existing theories in which the T² dependence of resistivity has been proposed. However, we found none of them can describe the experimental data, and the physical mechanism of the T² behavior of resistivity at low temperatures is still enigmatical.     

Oxygenation-induced two peaks in the self-doped La0.9MnO3+δ compounds

A series of self-doped La_0.9MnO_3+δ compounds have been fabricated by the solid-state reaction method with different post-annealing and oxygenation processes. The temperature dependence of resistivity measured at several magnetic fields indicated that all of these samples have an insulator–metal transition with a large negative colossal magnetoresistance (CMR) ratio. The resistivity, maximum CMR ratio and peak position are dominated by the oxygen content. As the oxygen content increases, the resistivity decreases, the peak position shifts to higher temperature and the maximum CMR ratio increases, respectively; meanwhile the peak number in the R–T curve is changed from 1 to 2, then from 2 to 1. The temperature dependencies of magnetization and specific heat show the evidence of magnetic phase transition in these samples. We think that two peaks contributed by the different oxygen-induced ferromagnetic phases resulted in the phase separation of the sample.     

Low temperature resistivity of rare-earth hexaborides

Low temperature resistivity measurements of rare-earth hexaborides have been done down to 2 K. We observe a T⁴ or T³ temperature dependence of resistivity below the Néel temperature, which is associated with electron-spin wave scattering. At the lowest temperatures the resistivity varies as T². This T² dependence is thought to be due to Baber type electron-electron scattering.     

Pressure cycle of superconducting Cs0.8Fe2Se2 : A transport study

We report measurements of the temperature and pressure dependence of the electrical resistivity (ρ) of single-crystalline iron-based chalcogenide Cs_0.8Fe₂Se₂. In this material, superconductivity with a transition temperature develops from a normal state with extremely large resistivity. At ambient pressure, a large “hump” in the resistivity is observed around 200 K. Under pressure, the resistivity decreases by two orders of magnitude, concomitant with a sudden T_c suppression around . Even at 9 GPa a metallic resistivity state is not recovered, and the ρ(T) “hump” is still detected. A comparison of the data measured upon increasing and decreasing the external pressure leads us to suggest that the superconductivity is not related to this hump.