Weak localization with a specific role of t symmetry (2D and 3D holes in tellurium)

The anomalous magnetoresistance in crystalline tellurium is analyzed for di fferent p-type carrier dimensions: a bulk sample, size-quantized accumulati on layers on different tellurium crystallographic surfaces, and tellurium c lusters (tellurium embedded in a dielectric opal matrix). It is shown that the effect can be interpreted in all cases in terms of the theory of weak l ocalization of noninteracting particles with inclusion of the specific feat ures of the tellurium band spectrum, namely, fully lifted spin degeneracy, trigonal spectrum distortion, and a specific role played by the t symmetry in inter-valley scattering. The differences observed among the various mani festations of the weak localization effect are determined by the hole wave function phase-relaxation channel which is dominant in a particular case. A case is discussed where the time characterizing the inter-valley transitio n probability becomes comparable to the momentum relaxation time. (C) 1999 American Institute of Physics. [S1063-7834(99)03105-6].