Electrical transport with temperature-induced spin disorder in NiMnSb

Abstract We investigate theoretically the combined effect of phonons and magnons caused by finite temperatures on the electrical resistivity of nonstoichiometric half-Heusler NiMnSb alloy. The coherent potential approximation within the alloy analogy model is employed for an efficient treatment of chemical impurities, atomic displacements, and magnetic disorder. Spin fluctuations of local Mn moments are described by two models: (i) uncompensated disordered local moment approach and (ii) tilting of the moments. The calculated resistivity agrees with experimental data, the agreement is good up to 600 K. We show that a strong magnetic disorder leads to a violation of the Matthiessen’s rule for…