Quantum corrections to transport properties of icosahedral Al-Cu-Fe in extended regimes

Studies of quantum corrections to the transport properties of icosahedral Al-Cu-Fe (i-AlCuFe) have been made in extended regimes. The magnetoresistance, {Δ}{ρ}(B,T), was measured and analyzed up to 12 T and ambient temperatures. {Δ}{ρ}(B,T) was observed to change sign in the range 90--120 K. Different analyses were made encompassing different assumptions about the background resistivity to which quantum corrections (QIE) should be added. In all cases accurate descriptions of {Δ}{ρ}(B,T) were found, demonstrating that QIE is observable in i-AlCuFe at least up to 280 K. Common results for the parameters in these different analyses include estimates of the temperature dependence of the Coulomb interaction parameter F_σ in electron-electron interaction, and a low value of the inelastic scattering time τᵢₑ at 280 K of order 100 fs, consistent with an elastic-scattering time of at most some femtoseconds. Using parameters determined from {Δ}{ρ}(B,T) in the analysis of the temperature dependence, {Δ}{ρ}(T), it was found that quantitative agreement between descriptions of {Δ}{ρ}(B,T) and {Δ}{ρ}(T) in terms of QIE could be obtained up to 150 K. Weak localization thus contributes also to {Δ}{ρ}(T) in i-AlCuFe at least up to this temperature.