Transport properties of the ferromagnetic metals. II. Nickel

Abstract

We present new experimental results for the transport properties of Ni. In comparing these results to previously published values, we show that there exists a consistent group of experimental data which establishes reliably the transport properties of pure Ni from perhaps 30 to 1500 K. In the paramagnetic range (T > 630 K), these properties show three characteristic features: a positive slope of the thermal conductivity (which is equivalent to an electrical resistivity increasing less than linearly with temperature), a large negative thermopower, and a Lorenz function substantially larger than the Sommerfeld value, L0. In attempting to provide an explanation of these features, we have discovered that the model of Mott, wherein the electronic relaxation time is inversely proportional to the density of states, does not appear to be universally valid and, more importantly, that the observed properties cannot be consistently explained if we assume pure electron–phonon scattering. To achieve consistency, at least one other scattering mechanism has to be included, such as normal electron–electron scattering; this will be taken up in detail in a subsequent publication.