Conduction-electron scattering from vacancies in copper.

Abstract

The first experimental results of the anisotropy of the conduction-electron scattering from vacancies in Cu are reported. The method used to study the electron-vacancy scattering rate is magnetic-field-induced surface-state resonance. The results show that the scattering rate in the {110} plane of Cu varies by a factor of 2 over the Fermi surface. It is highest near the 〈100〉 axis and 〈111〉 neck and lowest at the 〈110〉 and 〈112〉 axes. A partial-wave analysis was performed and the Friedel phase shifts determined. This analysis shows the vacancy to have a predominantly sp character. The results for Cu are compared with de Haas--van Alphen data in Au and marked differences are noted. A companion paper analyzes the scattering rates in both Cu and Au with vacancies in terms of the cluster-defect formalism based on the Korringa-Kohn-Rostoker Green's-function method.