Magnetoresistance studies in Al70Pd20+Mn10− (x=0, 1) icosahedral quasicrystals

Abstract Zero-field and in-field (at 8 T) conductivity vs. temperature ( σ – T ) and magnetoresistance (Δ ρ / ρ ) of as-prepared and unannealed Al 70 Pd 20 Mn 10 , annealed Al 70 Pd 20 Mn 10 , and annealed Al 70 Pd 21 Mn 9 quasicrystalline (qc) alloys have been studied in the temperature range of 1.4–300 K. From room temperature to 30 K, σ – T appears to be dominated by weak-localization effects including electron–phonon (e–ph) scattering as the inelastic process. σ – T minima are possibly due to the dephasing arising from temperature dependent spin–spin scattering, resulting from a cluster-glass-like transition as indicated by the χ – T and M – H measurements. The σ – T maxima at ∼9 K and the negative Δ ρ / ρ at 1.4 K originate probably from some ferromagnetic type magnetic interaction in the sample, which quenches the spin–spin scattering effects.