Anomalous positive magnetoresistance in the amorphous ferromagnet, GdNi₃

Abstract

We report transport and specific heat measurements in amorphous Gd .23Ni.76Ar.01≊a-GdNi3. We find that the magnetoresistance is positive near the magnetic ordering temperature and estimate that the ratio of mean free paths, l, to nearest neighbor Gd distance a, l/a≃1.2. This result argues against nearly free electron theory. We suggest an apparent Ni moment as the most probable source of scattering.