Suppression of electron-phonon interaction in narrow-band crystals

Taking the inelastic nature of the interaction of electrons with acoustic phonons into account is crucial in crystals having a conduction band width Δε comparable to the maximum acoustic phonon energy s. In view of this, the laws of conservation of energy and wave vector impose stringent constraints on possible electron scattering processes, and single-phonon scattering becomes impossible for Δε < ε̃. The phonon contribution to the resistance may be negligible, therefore, in narrow-band conductors. © 1998 Plenum Publishing Corporation.