On nature of the excess heat capacity in icosahedral quasicrystals

Abstract

Experimental evidence is presented which indicates that the total heat capacity in the Al₆₃Cu₂₅Fe₁₂ icosahedral phase contains a contribution associated with inconstancy of the charge carrier concentration. The contribution has an oscillating temperature dependence and is supposedly traceable to two Schottky-like heat anomalies.

Keywords:

• quasicrystalline alloy
• heat capacity
• icosahedral phase
• Schottky anomaly

Acknowledgement

The authors feel indebted to S.M. Podgornykh and E.V. Shalaeva for valuable discussions and comments. This study was supported by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research (Project No. 10-02-00602-a).