Anomalous dephasing scattering time of Zr80Sn20-xFex alloys at low temperature

摘要

We report the results of a comprehensive study of weak electron localization (WEL) and electron-electron interaction (EEL) effects in disordered Zr80Sn20-xFex alloys. The resistivity in absence of magnetic field shows a minimum at temperature T=T-m and follows rho T-5/2(o)1/2 law within the temperature range 5 K <= T <= T-m, which suggests predominant EEL effect. Magnetoresistivity is positive due to strong spinorbit interaction. The dephasing scattering time is dominated by the electron-phonon scattering. The electron-phonon scattering rate shows anomalous behavior and obeys the relation tau(-1)(e-ph) proportional to T(2)le, where l(e) is the electron elastic mean free path. The zero temperature scattering time (tau(0)) strongly depends on the disorder and its magnitude decreases with increasing disorder resistivity rho(0). Such anomalous behavior cannot be explained in terms of existing theories. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.