Resistivity Minimum in Highly Frustrated Itinerant Magnets

Abstract

We study the transport properties of highly frustrated itinerant magnets comprising localized classical moments, which interact via exchange with the conduction electrons. Strong frustration stabilizes a liquid-like spin state, which extends down to temperatures well below the effective Ruderman-Kittel-Kasuya-Yosida (RKKY) interaction scale. The crossover into this state is characterized by spin structure factor enhancement at wave vectors smaller than twice the Fermi wave vector magnitude. The corresponding enhancement of electron scattering generates a resistivity upturn at decreasing temperatures.