Abstract
We show that the interference between scattering by impurities and by critical spin fluctuations gives rise to anisotropic transport in the Ising-nematic state of the iron pnictides. The effect is closely related to the non-Fermi-liquid behavior of the resistivity near an antiferromagnetic quantum critical point. Our theory not only explains the observed sign of the resistivity anisotropy in electron-doped systems but also predicts a sign change of upon sufficient hole doping. Furthermore, our model naturally addresses the changes in upon sample annealing and alkaline-earth substitution.
- Received 19 May 2011
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.107.217002
© 2011 American Physical Society