Wave nature of conduction electrons in amorphous Co₉₀Sc₁₀ and Fe₉₀Sc₁₀ alloys

The resistivity of amorphous Fe₉₀Sc₁₀ and Co₉₀Sc₁₀ alloys can be described well in terms of a simple model based on the wave character of electrons and their associated tunnelling over the temperature ranges ~1.9 K to 135 K and ~1.9 K to 12 K respectively. The extended range of agreement between experiment and theory for amorphous Fe₉₀Sc₁₀ is linked with its relatively small mean free path of [Formula: see text]  =  0.32 nm, thus allowing electron waves to tunnel between clusters. On the other hand the restricted region of tunnelling of electron waves for amorphous Co₉₀Sc₁₀ alloys is linked with its relatively large mean free path of [Formula: see text]  =  0.48 nm which restricts the ability for tunnelling between clusters while enabling electron waves to tunnel between different regions with a cluster.