Electrical properties of liquid 3d transition metal-Si alloys

The electrical resistivity, R, and the thermoelectric power, S, have been measured for liquid transition metal-Si alloys (TMcSi1−c, TM = Ni, Fe, Mn), and liquid Cr0.1Si0.9 and Co0.1Si0.9 alloys as a function of temperature. The electrical resistivity increases rapidly with the addition of Fe, Mn and Cr to liquid Si and the liquid MncSi1−c alloys with 1 ⩾ c ⩾ 0.6 have an electrical resistivity of approximately 200 μΩ cm. The composition dependence of the electrical resistivity for liquid FecSi1−c and NicSi1−c systems exhibits a maximum at the composition c = 0.5 and c = 0.6, respectively. Liquid TM-Si alloys have a negative value of thermoelectric power over the wide composition range. The variation of R and S by the addition of Fe, Co and Ni solutes to liquid Si is in good agreement with that estimated from the 3d resonant scattering theory. The composition dependence of R and S of liquid Ni-Si can be qualitatively explained by the extended Ziman's formula.