Manifesto for a higher Tc -- lessons from pnictides and cuprates

TL;DR

This paper analyzes the normal state properties and interactions in high-Tc cuprates and Fe-pnictides to identify key attributes that could lead to superconductors with higher critical temperatures.

Contribution

It provides a comparative analysis of pairing mechanisms and normal state features in cuprates and pnictides to guide the search for higher Tc superconductors.

Findings

Identifies key energy scales influencing Tc

Highlights normal state transport features relevant to pairing

Suggests attributes for designing higher Tc materials

Abstract

We explore energy scales, features in the normal state transport, relevant interactions and constraints for the pairing mechanisms in the high-Tc cuprates and Fe-pnictides. Based on this analysis we attempt to identify a number of attributes of superconductors with a higher T_c. Expanded version of the article published in Nature Physics, 7, 271 (2011).