Diamagnetic Susceptibility, Disorder, and Linear Magnetoresistance in Ag_2-δTe

The origin of linear magnetoresistance in Ag_2-δTe has historically sparked debate between several intrinsic and extrinsic mechanisms. We investigate the magnetotransport properties of the narrow-gap semiconductors Ag_2-δTe as a function of silver deficiency in order to quantify the role of disorder on their observed linear magnetoresistance. Built on our earlier work [1], we study the temperature and field dependence of the Hall angle and the diamagnetic susceptibility in order to develop a framework to quantify the disorder parameters, namely disorder potential V₀ and the characteristic lengths ξ, as a function of silver deficiency. These quantities will be compared as silver deficiency is varied. We will discuss the implication of our results in terms of generalized conditions for emergence of linear magnetoresistance.

[1] I. A. Leahy et al., PNAS 1808747115 (2018)