Origin of DC and AC conductivity anisotropy in iron-based superconductors: Scattering rate versus spectral weight effects

Michael Schütt, Jörg Schmalian, Rafael M. Fernandes

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

11 Scopus citations

Abstract

To shed light on the transport properties of electronic nematic phases, we investigate the anisotropic properties of the AC and DC conductivities. Based on the analytical properties of the former, we show that the anisotropy of the effective scattering rate behaves differently than the actual scattering rate anisotropy and even changes sign as a function of temperature. Similarly, the effective spectral weight acquires an anisotropy even when the plasma frequency is isotropic. These results are illustrated by an explicit calculation of the AC conductivity due to the interaction between electrons and spin fluctuations in the nematic phase of the iron-based superconductors and shown to be in agreement with recent experiments.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article number075111
JournalPhysical Review B
Volume94
Issue number7
DOIs
StatePublished - Aug 8 2016

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
acknowledges the support from the Humboldt Foundation. J.S. acknowledges the support from Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) through the Priority Program SPP 1458 314 Hochtemperatur-Supraleitung in Eisenpnioktiden(Project-No. SCHM 1031/5-1). R.M.F. is supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Basic Energy Sciences, under Award No.DE-SC0012336.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2016 American Physical Society.

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