Quantum corrections to transport properties of icosahedral Al-Cu-Fe in extended regimes

Studies of quantum corrections to the transport properties of icosahedral Al-Cu-Fe (i-AlCuFe) have been made in extended regimes. The magnetoresistance, Delta rho(B,T), was measured and analyzed up to 12 T and ambient temperatures. Delta rho(B,T) was observed to change sign in the range 90-120 K. Different analyses were made encompassing different assumptions about the background resistivity to which quantum corrections (QIE) should be added. In all cases accurate descriptions of Delta rho(B,T) were found, demonstrating that QIE is observable in i-AlCuFe at least up to 280 K. Common results for the parameters in these different analyses include estimates of the temperature dependence of the Coulomb interaction parameter F-sigma in electron-electron interaction, and a low value of the inelastic scattering time tau(ie) at 280 K of order 100 fs, consistent with an elastic-scattering time of at most some femtoseconds. Using parameters determined from Delta rho(B,T) in the analysis of the temperature dependence, Delta rho(T), it was found that quantitative agreement between descriptions of Delta rho(B,T) and Delta rho(T) in terms of QIE could be obtained up to 150 K. Weak localization thus contributes also to Delta rho(T) in i-AlCuFe at least up to this temperature.