The electrical conductivities of films which are mixtures of Hg and Xe have been examined in the normal (nonsuperconducting) state as a function of composition. These films, which were quench condensed at $T=4.2$ K, were typically 5000 {} thick, and are believed to be microscopically homogeneous and fully three dimensional. Aspects of quantum theories of localization appear to more accurately describe the metal-nonmetal transition than classical percolation. Three distinct regimes of conductivity are evident: conventional transport for low Xe concentration, incipient localization, and strong localization with a negative temperature coefficient of resistance. Data in the second regime are compared with the scaling theory of localization, and a correlation length ξ is inferred. The transition to the insulating regime appears to be continuous, but a minimum metallic conductivity at $T=0$ K cannot be ruled out. The behavior of the superconducting transition with composition has also been examined within the context of localization theory.
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Epstein et al. (1983) studied this question.