Electronic transport in ReO3: dc conductivity and Hall effect

Abstract

The dc resistivity and low-field Hall effect of the transition-metal oxide Re${\mathrm{O}}_{3}$ have been measured as a function of temperature. The samples used were oriented single crystals which were large enough for measurements to be made by a conventional four-point probe method. The samples of Re${\mathrm{O}}_{3}$ showed metallic conductivity with a resistance ratio $\frac{\ensuremath{\rho}(300)}{\ensuremath{\rho}(4.2)}$ between 50 and 70. At 300\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K resistivity is (8.95 \ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{} 0.03) \ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{} ${10}^{\ensuremath{-}6}$ \ensuremath{\Omega} cm, and the Hall coefficient at 300\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K is (-3.28 \ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{} 0.10) \ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{} ${10}^{\ensuremath{-}4}$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{3}$ ${\mathrm{C}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$. The experimental results show that Re${\mathrm{O}}_{3}$ behaves like a simple metal with one free electron per unit cell. A least-squares fitting routine is used to compare the resistivity data to a model involving electron-phonon and electron-electron scattering.