Electrical Transport in Polyvalent Liquid Bismuth and Antimony Metals

Abstract

Accurate assessment of electrical transport for heavy polyvalent metals pause challenge due to complex electronic band structure, where s-wave scattering theory due to Ziman is failed. Improving schemes like t-matrix resistivity and self-consistent approach are proposed. In the present study, we employ selfconsistent approach to compute electrical resistivity (ρ) in liquid Bi and Sb at different temperatures (T). Structural input is estimated through charged hard-sphere reference system. Electron-ion interaction is modelled by modified empty-core pseudopotential including electron exchange and correlation effects. Since only two parameters are independent, as the core radius RC (= 0.51 RaZ − 1⁄3) is a theoretical input, we have tuned, once and for all, the single parameter to find ρ at melting temperature. The same set of parameters is used to deduce high-T resistivity, thermal conductivity and thermo-electric power. Overall good agreement is observed for transport properties for both metals. The present fitting scheme and so deduced results are discussed in comparison with other findings.