Weak-localization and Coulomb-interaction effects in hydrogen-doped Zr-Ni and Zr-Cu metallic glasses

Measurements are described and the results presented for the temperature and magnetic field dependence of the electrical conductivity and for the magnetic susceptibility of Zr-Ni and Zr-Cu metallic glasses doped with hydrogen. Hydrogen is found to reduce both the effective electron diffusion constant and the screening of the Coulomb interaction which leads to a decrease in the conductivity, suppression of the superconducting transition temperature, and to an enhancement of the spin susceptibility at low temperatures. The relative contributions of the spin-orbit and the Maki-Thompson interaction to the magnetoresistivity are also depressed. It is shown that the theoretical models of weak localization and Coulomb interaction provide both a good qualitative and quantitative description of the anomalous temperature and field dependence of the measured properties.