Linear increase of the resistivity of aluminum in a strong magnetic field
Abstract
An explanation is offered for the linear increase of the magnetoresistivity of aluminum by attributing it to the combined effect of magnetic breakdown and low-angle electron scattering : infinite motion of electrons within the p-region is ensured by their passage between layers of closed magnetic-breakdown orbits, as a result of collisions. This effect is analyzed theoretically and its contribution to the transverse magnetoresistivity is calculated for the case of electron scattering by phonons and lattice point-defects. For a more thorough review of the problem, the field dependence and the temperature dependence of the transverse magnetoresistivity were studied experimentally so that the many already available data in the technical literature could be supplemented. A comparison of calculated and measured values indicates a reasonable agreement between both. Also, another possible explanation is considered, namely, attributing this nonlinear increase of the magnetoresistivity to Umklapp processes at intermediate magnetic field intensities.