Anisotropic quasiparticle lifetimes in Fe-based superconductors

Kemper A, Korshunov MM, Devereaux T, Fry JN, Cheng H, Hirschfeld PJ
Physical Review B 83, 184516 (2011)

Abstract

We study the dynamical quasiparticle scattering by spin and charge fluctuations in Fe-based pnictides within a five-orbital model with on-site interactions. The leading contribution to the scattering rate is calculated from the second-order diagrams with the polarization operator calculated in the random-phase approximation. We find one-particle scattering rates which are highly anisotropic on each Fermi surface sheet due to the momentum dependence of the spin susceptibility and the multiorbital composition of each Fermi pocket. This fact, combined with the anisotropy of the effective mass, produces disparity between electrons and holes in conductivity, the Hall coefficient, and the Raman initial slope, in qualitative agreement with experimental data.