A Compton scattering study of an Al-Li disordered alloy single crystal

We report a measurement of the [111] Compton profile of a disordered Al-3at .%Li alloy single crystal at a high momentum resolution of 0.12 a.u., toget her with a corresponding highly accurate computation of the profile based o n the Korringa-Kohn-Rostoker coherent-potential-approximation (KKR-CPA) sch eme for treating disorder effects. In comparing the profiles and their firs t and second derivatives in Al-Li and Al, we find that the spectra in the a lloy differ systematically from those of Al in qualitative accord with the theoretical predictions. This study shows clearly that the high-resolution Compton technique is capable of probing delicate changes in the fermiology and electron correlation and bonding effects upon alloying. (C) 2000 Elsevi er Science Ltd, All rights reserved.