RESIDUAL ATOMIC BEHAVIOR OF (SP) IMPURITIES IN A MG HOST

The spin-orbit scattering cross section of many different impurities (Cu, Zn, Ga, Ag, Cd, In, Sn, Sb, Au, Tl, Pb, Bi) in Mg is measured by means of weak localization. We find two distinct dependences of sigma(s.o.). (i) For the same valence of the impurity sigma(s.o.) shows a power law as a function of the atomic number Z as Z(p) with p congruent-to 5 for the noble metals, and (ii) sigma(s.o) depends on the valence of the impurity; for s impurities sigma(s.o.) is considerably smaller than for p impurities. This suggests that the atomic electronic wave functions are quite well preserved after dissolving the atom.