Computer experiments on electron diffusion and conduction in amorphous metals

Abstract

The transport properties of tightly bound electrons in a disordered system have been investigated by computer calculations of the electronic density of states and computer experiments on the diffusion coefficient. Experiments on s electrons in a two-dimensional amorphous system result in the absence of diffusion, corresponding to zero conductivity. Experiments on the three-dimensional diffusion of s electrons in a close-packed amorphous structure yield values for the diffusion coefficient (D) and the conductivity ( sigma ) which are much larger than would be predicted by the random phase model of the electronic states. The values of D and sigma obtained for d electrons are comparable with the random phase model and with experimental measurements on amorphous and liquid transition metals.