On the temperature dependence of the electrical resistivity of amorphous metals

Abstract

The temperature dependence of the electrical resistivity of amorphous metals is calculated using two complementary models of the lattice vibrations. The model which describes uncorrelated Einstein oscillators leads to a very satisfactory fit of the experimental data for CuSn alloys at T>or approximately=10K. The negative temperature coefficients are explained by the temperature dependence of the elastic scattering. The results are interpreted as an indication of strong vibrational disorder. For very low temperatures (T<or approximately=2K), a positive temperature dependence of the resistivity proportional to T2 is predicted as a result of coherent long-wavelength phonons.