Acoustomagnetoelectric Effect in Bismuth

The acoustoelectric effect has been observed for the first time in bismuth at 4.2°K by applying a transverse magnetic field. The observations with 15 and 45 Mc/sec ultrasonic waves can generally be accounted for by a phenomenological theory, and yield the value of the effective dilatational deformation potential constant (∼2 eV), and the recombination time (∼3×10 -8 sec). Large amplitude de Haas-van Alphen type oscillations are observed, which results from the fact that this effect is directly proportional to the density of states at the Fermi surface.