Resistivity Minimum in an Amorphous Ferromagnetic Alloy

Abstract

The electrical resistance‐vs‐temperature curve of an amorphous Fe₈₀P₁₃C₇ alloy, obtained by rapid quenching from the liquid state, has a minimum at low temperature. Because the quenching conditions cannot be accurately controlled, the temperature at which the minimum occurs varies from specimen to specimen and covers a range from 10° to 50°K. A study of 14 different specimens shows a correlation between this temperature and the ratio of the resistances at helium temperature to that at room temperature. This correlation is interpreted in terms of the existence of regions of short range order, or small amounts of crystalline phases in imperfectly quenched specimens.