Magnetotransport and superconductivity of α-uranium

Abstract

We have measured the electrical resistivity, magnetoresistance and Hall effect on several new single-crystal samples and one polycrystalline sample of α-U. The residual resistivity ratios of these samples vary from 13 to 315. Matthiessen's law appears to hold above the onset of the charge-density wave phase transitions that begin near 43 K, but not below this temperature. Sharp features at all three charge-density wave transitions are observed and the effects of high magnetic fields on them are presented and discussed. The magnetoresistance is anisotropic, reaches 1000% at 2 K and 18 T and does not exhibit Kohler scaling. The Hall coefficient is positive, independent of magnetic field and slightly temperature dependent above about 40 K in agreement with earlier studies. Below 40 K the Hall coefficient changes sign as the temperature falls, varies with field and becomes much more strongly negative at the lowest temperatures than has been reported. Some of our results suggest that a spin-density wave may coexist with the charge-density wave states. Superconductivity is observed in two of our samples; we argue that it is intrinsic to α-U and suggest that it is consistent with a two-band model. Several parameters characterizing the transport and superconductivity of α-U are estimated.