Explaining electrical resistivity behaviour from phonon perspective

In summary, y4ku24's data suggests that resistivity increases with temperature for non-crystalline metals, but this could be explained by defects scattering electrons.
  • #1
y4ku24
17
0
Hello everyone.

This question may sound naive, but since I am relatively new to the subject, I would like to ask for some clarification related to phonon and electrical resistivity.

As most of you might be aware of, electrical resistivity of crystalline metals increases due to increase in temperature. I am currently working with some non-crystalline metals, and the data show a high electrical resistivity at RT, and a linear decrease due to increase in temperature.

Since both are conductors, could this two contrary phenomenon be explained from a phonon perspective?

Thank you in advance.
 
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  • #2
From my (3rd year undergraduate) understanding phonons increase the resistivity for metals because they scatter electrons. Have you considered defects? They are known to decrease as temperature is increased and I would expect that a noncrystaline metal would have plenty of them, it would depend upon the temperature ranges that you are dealing with.
 
  • #3
To transcience: Hm,seems like a considerable explanation. Will look up about it. Thank you.
 
  • #4
Why are defects decreasing as T is increasing?

Just increasing T doesn't heal anything, for annealing to remove defects, the lattice should be heated and slowly cooled.

y4ku24 - I don't think your data can be so easily explained by phonon scattering. Maybe you want to check percolation theories to see what's going on.

Transport in disordered systems (like non-crystalline metals) is very different than the idealized transport theory where the lattice is perfectly periodic, etc...
 
  • #5
Hi, y4ku24, would you say a little more about the materials you are measuring ? Because, several factors may affect temperature dependence of resistivity, depending on the electronic structure of the material.
 
  • #6
TO hiyok: My material is an amorphous metal, with composition of Zr55Ni5Al10Cu30. It is known as metallic glass, and has some advantages compared to common metals such as high strength and high corrosion resistance, provided that it stays as an amorphous metal.
The materials looks like a common alloy, but in the atomic scale it has glassy characteristics such as the existence of glass transition temperature.

Hope that helps.
 

Related to Explaining electrical resistivity behaviour from phonon perspective

1. What is electrical resistivity?

Electrical resistivity is a measure of the resistance a material has to the flow of an electric current. It is the inverse of conductivity, which measures how easily a material can conduct electricity.

2. What is the phonon perspective of electrical resistivity?

The phonon perspective of electrical resistivity refers to the explanation of how the movement of phonons (vibrational waves in a material) affects the resistance to an electric current in a material. Phonons are responsible for the transfer of heat and energy in a material, and their behavior can impact the flow of electric current.

3. How do phonons affect electrical resistivity?

Phonons can affect electrical resistivity in a few ways. First, they can scatter electrons, causing them to lose energy and slow down, thus increasing the resistance to an electric current. Additionally, as phonons move through a material, they can create defects and impurities, which can also increase resistance.

4. What factors influence the phonon perspective of electrical resistivity?

There are several factors that can influence the phonon perspective of electrical resistivity. These include temperature, crystal structure, impurities, and the strength of the interactions between phonons and electrons.

5. How is the phonon perspective of electrical resistivity studied?

The phonon perspective of electrical resistivity is studied through experiments and theoretical models. Scientists can measure the resistivity of a material at different temperatures and analyze how it changes to understand the role of phonons. Theoretical models, such as the Debye model, can also be used to explain the behavior of electrical resistivity from a phonon perspective.

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