Calculation of strong-field magnetoresistance in some periodic composites

A calculational method based on Fourier expansion is applied to a study of the strong-field magneto-transport of a uniform free-electron metal, inside which is embedded a simple cubic arrary of identical spheres or cylinders, which have a different conductivity tensor. When the magnetic field is strong enough, the magnetoresistance exhibits very strong variations with the direction of the field. This can be understood in some of the cases by simple physical considerations about the distortions induced in the current flow by the inclusions. The strong dependence on the field direction is qualitatively, and sometimes even quantitatively, similar to what is observed in some metallic crystals which have a noncompact Fermi surface.