Study on temperature dependence of resistivity in liquid In–Sn alloy

The electrical resistivity of liquid In–Sn alloy was measured by a dc four-probe method. In a relatively low-temperature zone above liquidus, resistivity changes discontinuously; only the changing trend is altered, whereas resistivity changes sharply in the high-temperature zone and the changing pattern is completely different from the ones at low temperature. The unusual change of resistivity reflects the alteration of the mean free path L 0 of conduction electrons and also the electron transport properties. Consequently, we assume that structural changes might occur in the continuous heating process. Transition temperatures are different for In–Sn melts with various compositions. The resistivity behaviour of eutectic composition is distinguished from others and its transition temperature is the lowest.