We discuss a number of suggested explanations for observed discrepancies between theories of the quantum corrections to conduction, and recent magnetoresistance experiments on bulk metallic glasses. We emphasize the importance of competing effects, particularly the influence of magnetic impurities. Data showing these effects are presented and analyzed using a theory of Béal-Monod and Weiner to account for the direct magnetoresistance from the spin scattering and the magnetic field dependence of the spin-flip dephasing rate. Throughout, we provide useful numerical procedures for the efficient evaluation of the theoretical expressions used in analyzing such data, and point out that some theoretical expressions must be altered when considering strongly enhanced paramagnetic systems
We present measurements of the low-temperature magnetoresistance of high-purity Mg-Cu and Mg-Zn metallic glasses where the spin-orbit scattering rate has been varied by the addition of Ag and Au. Because these alloys are well-characterized, simple metals, the results provide a strict test of the validity of the theories of quantum corrections to the conductivity in bulk disordered metals. The effect of superconductivity may be viewed directly by comparing the behavior of Mg-Zn and Mg-Cu. We find that the quantum corrections work well at low magnetic fields, but fail at higher fields, irrespective of the level of spin-orbit scattering.
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