THE LOW-TEMPERATURE RESISTIVITIES AND THERMOPOWERS OF α-PHASE COPPER–ZINC ALLOYS

Abstract

The thermopowers and resistivities of α-phase copper–zinc alloys have been measured between 4.2° and 300° K. A phonon-drag contribution to the thermopower exists for all zinc concentrations. It initially decreases in magnitude, as the zinc concentration increases, but above 10 at.% it begins to increase. This is attributed to the approach of the Fermi surface to the {200} faces of the Brillouin zone. The characteristic temperature θR is derived from the resistivity results and correlated empirically with the position of the phonon-drag maximum. The thermopower, for concentrations greater than 10 at.%, is very sensitive to the thermal history of the alloy.