THE SCATTERING OF ELECTRONS BY EDGE DISLOCATIONS IN AL

A new scheme is proposed to describe the scattering of electrons by de formations due to lattice defects. It is based on the assumption that these deformations are quite homogeneous on an atomic scale with the c onsequence that the potential seen by the electrons is quite similar t o that obtained from self-consistent band-structure calculations for h omogeneously deformed lattices. As a first example the scattering by t he dilatation field of an edge dislocation is treated. The electrical resistivity is evaluated by solving the Boltzmann equation, taking int o account the shape of the Fermi surface and the anisotropy of the sca ttering probability. Experimental and theoretical values of the electr ical resistivity due to edge dislocations in Al are found to be in qua litative agreement showing that the scattering by the dilatation is th e dominant mechanism in the case of edge dislocations. As was stated b y Watts we find the anisotropy relation rho(perpendicular-to)/rho(para llel-to) < 1.5. That means that edge dislocations have a non-zero comp onent of electrical resistivity rho(parallel-to) along the dislocation line.