Deviations from Matthiessen's rule at low temperatures: An experimental comparison between various metallic alloy systems

Abstract

The low temperature electrical resistivity data on Al, Cu, Au, Ag, Pt, Mg, Sn, Zn, In and Ga are reviewed with particular emphasis on the variation of the phonon contribution with the magnitude of the impurity resistivity. A comparison is made within the various alloys having the same base metals, and also between the different solvents, by developing a phenomenological fitting formula for the deviations from Matthiessen's rule. The derived phenomenological parameters show a strong similarity for all metals. The limits imposed on this type of comparison by the uncertainty of data obtained on different samples and in different laboratories are discussed. An updating of the references given in an earlier review in this journal by Bass (1972) is also included.