Electron localization in metallic quasicrystals.

Pierce, F S; Poon, S J; Guo, Q · Science · 1993

basic_science · Level V

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Abstract

Bulk icosahedral-quasicrystalline aluminum-palladium-rhenium alloys of high structural quality and thermal stability are found to exhibit low-temperature electrical resistivities that are four orders of magnitude larger than those found in disordered metals and metallic glasses. Experiments suggest that these quasiperiodic alloys, which have a semimetallic electron density, are insulators at low temperature. The findings are discussed in light of theories on electron localization and band-gap formation in ordered metallic systems.