Scaling of normal-state transport properties of 1111 iron-pnictide superconductors

TL;DR

This study demonstrates that the normal-state resistivity of various 1111 iron-pnictide superconductors can be scaled onto a universal curve across a broad temperature range, indicating a common charge carrier scattering mechanism.

Contribution

The paper introduces a universal scaling approach for normal-state resistivity in 1111 iron-pnictide superconductors, revealing a common underlying scattering mechanism across different doping levels.

Findings

Resistivity data collapse onto a single universal curve.

Identification of a common energy scale Delta.

Consistent scattering mechanism across doping levels.

Abstract

We show that the zero field normal-state resistivity above Tc for various levels of electron doping-both for underdoped, optimally, and overdoped LaO1-xFxFeAs, i.e. (x=0.05-0.075 and 0.1-0.2) and underdoped SmO1-xFxFeAs (x=0.06- 0.1) members of the 1111-iron-pnictide superconductor family-can be scaled in a broad temperature range from 20 to 300 K onto a single universal curve. The scaling was performed using the energy scale Delta, the resistivity rho(Delta) and the residual resistivity rho0 as scaling parameters as well as applying a recently proposed model-independent scaling method (H. G. Luo, Y. H. Su, and T. Xiang, Phys. Rev. B 77, 014529 (2008)). The scaling parameters have been calculated and the compositional variation of Delta has been determined. The existence of a universal metallic rho(T) curve is interpreted as an indication of a single mechanism which dominates the scattering of the charge carriers in LaO1-xFxFeAs (x= 0.05 to 0.075 and 0.1 to 0.2) and SmO1-xFxFeAs (x = 0.06 to 0.1) .