Temperature Dependence of the Electron Relaxation Time in Thallium Measured by the Radio-Frequency Size Effect

Abstract

The temperature dependence of the electron scattering time $\ensuremath{\tau}$ averaged over an orbit has been investigated in thallium using the radio-frequency size effect. It was found that $\ensuremath{\tau}$ fit an expression of the form $\frac{1}{\ensuremath{\tau}}=a+b {T}^{n}$. For closed orbits the temperature exponent varied from $n=3$ at low magnetic fields to $n=5$ at high values of the magnetic field. A scattering-effectiveness criterion was introduced and was used to predict a magnetic field dependence for $n$ in agreement with experiment. The value of the deformation potential averaged over an orbit was obtained for orbits with $n=3$.