Model for the magnetoresistance of the silver-rich Ag2+δSe and Ag2+δTe thin films

This work proposes a model for linear magnetoresistance (MR) by considering Ag2+delta Se and Ag2+delta Te thin films as two-dimensional two-component (silver metal component and semiconductor component) compositions. The model addresses the dependence of the MR on the magnetic field, temperature and the conductivities of the two components without the magnetic field. The model predictions agree well with the available experimental data. It is found that there is a critical volume fraction of the silver component at which the MR reaches a maximum value. We interpret the occurrence of the critical volume fraction as a consequence of the percolation between silver particles and the variation of the disorder of the microstructure in the material.