Localization in Cr1-xFex amorphous films

Abstract

The electrical resistivity has been measured as a function of temperature between 1.5-300 K for amorphous Cr1-xFex alloys with x = 0.176, 0.22, 0.26. The resistivities all show square-root temperature dependences below the minima temperatures. The high-held magnetoresistance (H varies between 0-120 kOe) can be accounted for in theoretical models of localization in the presence of strong spin-orbit interaction. In addition, the spin-flip scattering rate due to local spin fluctuations decreases with increasing temperature and then levels off at about T = 50 K in a manner consistent with the magnetic state of the sample, while the inelastic scattering rate in this range remains almost of the same order. Furthermore, the magnetic anisotropy of the resistivity together with the magnetization data show that the magnetic order is progressively suppressed with increasing Fe content.