A Model for the Temperature Dependence of the Electronic Mean Free Path in the Radiofrequency Size Effect

A model is proposed which takes into account the effect of the finite skin depth in a determination of the phonon-limited electronic mean free path (EMFP) by means of the radiofrequency-size-effect amplitude. The model results in a temperature dependence of the inverse EMFP which obeys neither aT(n) nor an aT(3) + bT(5) law, in general. Numerical examples show the pure T-3 behavior usually expected is reasonable for small Fermi radii of curvature, but that more complicated behavior can be expected for Fermi surfaces having nearly free electron curvature. Existing data from the "lens" of Cd, obeying an apparent T-5 law, are discussed in terms of the present model.