Inelastic electron dephasing times in CuxGe100-x alloys

Abstract

We have studied the inelastic electron dephasing scattering times, tau(i). in disordered CuxGe100-x(35 less than or equal to x less than or equal to 60) alloys between I and 15 K. The values of tau(i)(-1) (similar to T-p), and especially the exponent of temperature p, are extracted from weak localization studies. We find that the value of p continuously decreases from similar to 3 to similar to 1 as x gradually decreases from 60 to 35. Our observation is understood in terms of a crossover of the inelastic electron dephasing in impure metals from e-Fh scattering to critical e-e scattering as the disorder greatly increases and the system moves significantly toward the mobility edge. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All. rights reserved.