Absolute thermoelectric power and resistivity of Cr[sbnd]V and Cr[sbnd]Mn alloys

Abstract

The absolute thermoelectric power S and the electrical resistivity p of polycrystalline samples were determined between 80°K and 580°K for Cr[sbnd]V alloys with up to 77 at. % V and between 300° and 750°K for Cr[sbnd]Mn alloys with up to 10 at. % Mn respectively. S of all alloys is positive. The resistivity and the thermopower are markedly affected by antiferromagnetic ordering. Both S and p have a maximum slightly below the Néel temperature, T _N , where S reaches values between 34 and 43 μV/°K for alloys with 1 to 10 at. % Mn. These Mn alloys have S values between 20 and 24 μV/°K above T _N . The temperature gradient of the electrical resistivity in the paramagnetic state of both Cr[sbnd]V and Cr Mn alloys is nearly composition independent. The large resistivity values for the alloy with 10 at. % Mn cannot be explained with a high density of states, because specific heat measurements on Cr Mn alloys between 100°K and and 625°K yield only very low electronic specific heat values.