Quasiparticle scattering rate in overdoped superconducting cuprates

TL;DR

This paper analytically calculates the quasiparticle scattering rate in overdoped cuprates' superconducting state, revealing linear dependence on temperature or energy, and compares results with photoemission experiments.

Contribution

It introduces an analytical approach within the Eliashberg formalism to understand scattering rates in cuprates with strong van Hove singularities, considering different gap symmetries.

Findings

Scattering rate is linear in maximum of temperature or energy.

Different intercepts and momentum dependence for d-wave gap.

Comparison with angle-resolved photoemission data.

Abstract

We calculate the quasiparticle scattering rate in the superconducting state of the overdoped cuprates, in the context of the Eliashberg formalism for a Fermi liquid with strong van Hove singularities close to the chemical potential. For a $d_{x^2-y^2}$ superconducting gap, we demonstrate analytically that the scattering rate is linear in the maximum of temperature or energy, but with different intercepts and momentum dependence. We discuss our results in view of angle-resolved photoemission experiments. We also discuss the case of a s-wave gap.