Low-Temperature Transport in Metals without Inversion Centre

Theory of low temperature kinetic phenomena in metals without inversion center is developed. Kinetic properties of a metal without inversion center are described by four kinetic equations for the diagonal (intraband) and the off-diagonal (inter-band) elements of matrix distribution function of electrons occupying the states in two bands split by the spin-orbit interaction. The derivation of collision integrals for electron-impurity scatterings and for electron–electron scatterings in a noncentrosymmetric medium is given. Charge, spin and heat transport in the ballistic and the weak impurity scattering regimes is discussed. It is shown that in 3D media the off-diagonal terms give rise the contribution in charge, spin and heat flows not only due to the interband scattering but also in the collisionless case where they bring to birth the unusual dissipative currents. The zero-temperature residual resistivity and the residual thermal resistivity are determined by scattering on impurities as well as by the electron–electron scattering.