The influence of electron-phonon scattering on electrical resistivity at high temperatures

Abstract

By using the method of force-force correlation functions, the electrical resistivity is calculated for a system containing electron-phonon interaction. The correlation functions are expressed by Green functions, and their equations of motion are solved approximately by performing partial summations of higher order perturbation terms in the electron-phonon interaction. This procedure yields multiple scattering corrections in the electrical resistivity, which give rise to corrections of the Bloch-Gruneisen theory at high temperatures. For a simple model the resistivity is evaluated numerically with application to resistivity measurements of Nb showing thermally induced saturation.