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Resistivity and superconductivity from anharmonic phonons

Journal Article · · Physical Review, B: Condensed Matter; (United States)
;  [1]
  1. Department of Physics and Astronomy, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996-1200 (United States) Solid State Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, P. O. Box 2008, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831-6030 (United States)

The electrical resistivity is calculated for electron scattering from anharmonic phonons. We consider phonon potential energies of the form [similar to][ital Q][sup [ital n]], as well as double-well potentials [similar to][ital Q][sup 4][minus][alpha][ital Q][sup 2]. For phonon potential energies with a power law [similar to][ital Q][sup [ital n]], the resistivity at high temperature is proportional to [ital T][sup 2/[ital n]]. At low temperature, the resistivity rises rapidly and then flattens, thereby forming a knee shape. This behavior explains the resistivity of cuprate superconductors in the normal state. We also correlate resistivity with the superconducting transition temperature [ital T][sub [ital c]], to see whether anharmonic phonons cause the pair binding in the superconductor. Our results show that a reasonable set of parameters to explain the resistivity is unable to explain the [ital T][sub [ital c]] of these materials.

DOE Contract Number:
AC05-84OR21400
OSTI ID:
6941089
Journal Information:
Physical Review, B: Condensed Matter; (United States), Journal Name: Physical Review, B: Condensed Matter; (United States) Vol. 47:13; ISSN PRBMDO; ISSN 0163-1829
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English