Linear magnetoresistance of potassium

Abstract

Measurements of the linear magnetoresistance effect in pure potassium were made using two independent methods. Four-terminal measurements on straight narrow samples showed transverse and longitudinal effects of the same magnitude. An induced torque method was then used on large good single crystals. In these the magnetoresistance was of the same order of magnitude as in the narrow samples and it was isotropic. The presence of the linear variation of resistivity with field in this case of a probeless method, where no obvious boundary value problems occur, adds to the existing evidence that the effect is not a result of sample shape or contact configuration.