Low temperature specific heat and electrical resistivity of amorphous Ni–B alloys

Abstract

The specific heat of Ni100−xBx amorphous alloys with x=18, 32, 36, and 40 is determined from 0.7 K to 40 K, and compared with results for Ni80P14B6 and Ni–P alloys. The electronic contribution (γT) decreases rapidly for the Ni–B alloys as the B concentration increases and as P replaces B near the Ni80M20 composition. The temperature dependence of the Debye temperature is obtained up to 40 K. For Ni82B18, the Debye temperature is in good agreement with the value obtained from the temperature dependence of the electrical resistivity (ρ/ρ300). (ρ/ρ300) was measured for all four alloys. The magnetic specific heat CM, which is almost temperature independent, is attributed to ferromagnetic clusters in these paramagnetic alloys.