Effective medium theory for the inhomogeneous PdMnxFe1−x alloys Original Research Article

Ternary PdMnxFe1−x alloys are known to form a microinhomogeneous random mixture of PdMn and PdFe phases. The unconventional ρ(x)ρ(x) dependence of dc resistivity and singularities in low frequency optical conductivity spectra of alloys are described footing within the effective medium approach. The essential point of the model proposed is the anomalous role of insulating interfaces, whose proliferation at intermediate x gives rise to the observed maximum of resistivity near x≃0.8