Electronic structure and electron transport properties of quasicrystals and approximant crystals in AlTM and MgGaAlZn alloy systems

Abstract

The XPS valence band spectra, electronic specific heat coefficients, electrical resistivities and magnetic susceptibilities have been measured for the MgGaAlZn, AlCoNi, AlCuV and AlMnSi quasicrystals and approximant crystals. Stable quasicrystals have a small electronic specific heat coefficient. The resistivity at 300 K for the (3/2−2/1−2/1) and (2/1−2/1−2/1) approximants in the MgGaAlZn system is found to be comparable with that of the corresponding quasicrystal, whereas that of the (1/1−1/1−1/1) approximant crystal is only 60–70%. By contrast, the resistivity in the AlMnSi approximant is about five times larger than that in the corresponding quasicrystal and exceeds 1000 μΩ cm. Its large resistivity is ascribed to a small density of states at E F.