Non-quasiparticle transport and resistivity saturation: a view from the large-N limit

Electron dynamics: A new model for resistivity saturation Resistivity saturates as a function of temperature in some metals; this happens in a regime in which the usual description of a metal in terms of ballistically propagating quasiparticles does not apply. In this work Yochai Werman and co-worke...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Yochai Werman, Steven A. Kivelson, Erez Berg
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Publishing Group 2017-02-01
Series:npj Quantum Materials
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41535-017-0009-8
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Summary:Electron dynamics: A new model for resistivity saturation Resistivity saturates as a function of temperature in some metals; this happens in a regime in which the usual description of a metal in terms of ballistically propagating quasiparticles does not apply. In this work Yochai Werman and co-workers from Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel and Stanford University in the US introduce a tractable microscopic model which allows a fully quantum mechanical treatment of the electrons. In the non-quasiparticle regime, the single-particle lifetime decreases without bound, yet the resistivity saturates. The saturation of the resistivity is due to the appearance of a distinct conductivity channel, in accordance with experimental evidence. Beyond the implications for resistivity of metals, the current analysis may be extended to other problems of unconventional metallic transport.
ISSN:2397-4648