The theory of the electrical conductivity of liquid metals

Abstract

A formal theory of the electrical conductivity of liquid metals as a function of frequency is developed. As a necessary preliminary, the nature of the eigen-functions which describe the conduction electrons in a liquid metal and the factors which control the density of states are discussed. A number of corrections are found to be necessary to Ziman's formula for the d.c. conductivity, and to Drude's expression for the frequency variation. The scope of the paper is further indicated by the list of contents below. The work began (Faber 1966 a) with an attempt to expound the theory of Edwards in language that might be comprehensible by those whose education has not progressed beyond the reading of, say, Mott and Jones. In the event, the theory has been extended considerably and some of Edwards' conclusions have turned out to need modification.