Resistivity Calculations for Cuprate Superconductor Systems using an Electronic Phase Separation

TL;DR

This paper explains the unusual temperature-dependent resistivity in high-temperature cuprate superconductors through a model of electronic phase separation into two main phases, using a random resistor network approach.

Contribution

It introduces a novel theoretical framework that models resistivity behavior via electronic phase segregation and random resistor networks, providing a unified explanation.

Findings

Reproduces the linear resistivity in overdoped samples.

Explains the resistivity minimum and insulating behavior in underdoped samples.

Matches experimental resistivity trends across doping levels.

Abstract

The resistivity as function of temperature of high temperature superconductors is very unusual and despite its importance lacks an unified theoretical explanation. It is linear with the temperature for overdoped compounds but it falls more quickly as the doping level decreases, and for weakly doped samples it has a minimum, increases like an insulator before it drops to zero at low temperatures. We show that this overall behavior can be explained by calculations using an electronic phase segregation into two main component phases with low and high densities. The total resistivity is calculated by the various contributions through several random picking processes of the local resistivities and using the Random Resistor Network approach.