Unit-I

Sources of resistivity of Metal

(Matthiessen’s rule)
&
Wiedemann-Franz law
Well known that a perfect metal goes to zero resistive as T
approaches zero
At extremely low temp., the mean free path () reaches macro
value

From classical point of view and the conduction electrons are

moving between the +ve ion core, the  is only a few Å. (SO
BREAKS DOWN OF C. F.E. T)

Break down due to the wave aspect of electrons. If we take this

into account, an electron moving in a perfectly periodic lattice
would not scatter at all. (shown theoretically)
In pure metals, such deviations may be caused by
vibration of atoms in the lattice
wrong position of atom in the lattice
unoccupied site
occupied by impurity atoms

Thus there are several kinds of sources for the scattering of electrons
 Resistivity  1 / Conductivity (Isotropic solid)

Conductivity ()  relaxation time ()

Hence  1/

The relaxation time is a measure of the probability of scattering of electron

Each of scattering effects giving rise separately a relaxation time

Although the major contributions to scattering of electrons are

from Phonon
imperfections in the lattice

Since 1 /  gives the probability of scattering, the total probability can be

1 1 1
= +
  phonon  imp

Depends on temperature Independent of temperature

The resistivity of the metal

m  1 1 
= 2 + = T +  r
ne   phonon  imp 
m 1
T = 2 Temperature dependent resistivity
ne  phonon

m 1
r = 2 Residual resistivity
ne  imp
This separation of resistivity in terms of temperature dependent and
independent is referred as Matthiesen’s rule

-> at very low temperature T is approximately zero

 ≈ r
-> at very high temperature T is very much higher than r
 ≈ T
 

Region (i)
= r

Region (ii) = r

  Tn i ii iii
n~5

Region (iii) T

 = r +aT

Specific heat
T
 
M D
2

D Debye Temperature
( Considered as a measure of maximum
frequency of lattice vibration)
T
D
 Wiedemann-Franz law

K  T
1
⎯
⎯→  T

K K
 T ⎯⎯→ or
= LT
 

Wiedemann-Franz law - According to the law the ratio between thermal

Conductivity ‘K’ and electrical conductivity ‘’ of a metal is directly
Proportional to the absolute temperature of the metal

L is a constant Lorentz number = 2.44 x 10-8 W Ohm K-2 at 293K

 1 1
◆ From thermal conductivity K = nv k ⎯
⎯→ nv kv 
2 2
1 2
K = nv k
2
◆ From electrical conductivity
ne2
=
m
◆ then
K 1 2 m
= nv k * 2
 2 ne 
K 1 2 k 
here = mv  2 
 2
◆
e 
2
3k 
L=   2
2 e K 3 k  3k 
= kT  2  ⎯
⎯→   T
 2 e  2e
 2
◆ If we substitute ‘e’ and ‘k’ in 3k 
L=  
2 e
◆ We get half the value of L (1.12 x 10-8 W Ohm K-2 )

◆ Since we assumed that all the e- s contribute for the

thermal conductivity

◆ Actually the effective e-s for the contribution are nearer

to the fermi level

◆ So if we use quantum free electron model and electronic

specific heat
n k T
2 2
Ce =
mv 2
1 1 n 2 k 2T
K = Ce v  ⎯ ⎯→ 
3 3 mv
1 n 2 k 2 
K= T⎯
⎯→ ⎯⎯ ⎯→ v =
sin ce

3 m 
 1 n 2 k 2
K= T
3 m
K 1 n 2 k 2 m
= T 2
 3 m ne 
K  2 k2
= T
 3 e 2

 2 k2 −8
here ⎯
⎯→ L = = 2 . 45  10
3 e2
◆ Wiedemann-Franz law is satisfactory with experimental
◆ Here we considered only electron contribution but not lattice
vibration.
◆ At low T, the theory does not apply
–  the relaxation time for K and  can not be defined uniquely
◆ The L for Cu near 15 K is smaller than at room temperature
◆ It is good only above Debye temperature
 1 2
Ce = n k
3
1 11 2 1 2 2
K = Ce v  = n kv  = n kv 
3 33 9
K 1 2 2 m
= n kv  * 2
 9 ne 
K 2  2
k
= 2
mv * 2
 9*2 e
2 3kT  k K  k 
2 2 2
K
= * 2 ⎯⎯→ =   T
 9 2 e  3 e
 k 
2 2

L=
3  e 