Kondo-like scaling of electrical conductivity of Al70−B Pd20Mn10 (x= 0.5, 1, 2, and 4) quasicrystalline alloys

Abstract The electrical-conductivity and magnetization behavior of single-phase Al70−xBxPd20Mn10 (x = 0, 0.5, 1, 2 and 4) quasicrystals have been studied. It has been observed that boron substitution brings drastic changes in the σ–T behavior of Al–Pd–Mn quasicrystals. Even a 0.5 at.% replacement of aluminium by boron causes a drastic change in the σ–T behavior. The σ–T variation shows minima, which shifts rapidly towards high temperature with increasing boron concentration and goes even above the room temperature. Field cool and zero-field cool χ–T behavior shows the paramagnetic nature of the samples. The σ–(ln−1 T) plots show linear behavior and get scaled in a {(σ(T) − σmin)/(σ4 − σmin)} vs (ln−1 T/ln−1 Tmin) plot. These samples show large magnetoresistance with +H2 behavior. Occurrences of these features very strongly indicate the dominating role of Kondo-scattering in electronic transport of this Al–B–Pd–Mn and in general for Al–Pd–Mn quasicrystalline system. The observed σ(T) behavior has been accounted to the occurrence of Kondo-type spin-flip scattering in Al–B–Pd–Mn and Al–Pd–Mn quasicrystals in the presence of weak-localization.