Concentration anomalies of properties in Bi–Sb semimetallic solid solutions

The dependences of the unit-cell parameters, microhardness, electrical conductivity, magnetoresistance, and the Seebeck coefficient on Sb content (0–5 at% Sb) in Bi-based Bi–Sb solid solutions were obtained. In the range of 0.5–1.0 at% Sb and 2.5–3.0 at% Sb concentration, anomalies in these properties were revealed and were attributed to a percolation transition and to a transition into a gapless state, respectively. The possibility of ordering in the critical concentration regions is suggested.