Low-Temperature Electrical Resistivity and Hall Effect of Single-Crystal α-Tungsten Carbide

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Abstract
The cubic monocarbides of the transition metals are nonstoichiometric compounds with large residual resistivities due to their high vacancy contents. Hence, the Fermi surface studies needed to test several proposed and conflicting band structures are not feasible. A compound with similar physical properties but different crystal structure, α-WC, can be made with fewer vacancies and offers some hope of providing long enough electron mean free paths for oscillatory studies. We report the first electrical measurements on single crystals of this solid. Indeed, the residual resistivity is far lower than for a cubic carbide, 0.45 μΩ cm, compared with values of 10 or higher. Further improvement appears likely.