title: Anisotropic in-plane resistivity in the nematic phase of the iron pnictides.
abstract: We show that the interference between scattering by impurities and by critical spin fluctuations gives rise to anisotropic transport in the Ising-nematic state of the iron pnictides. The effect is closely related to the non-Fermi-liquid behavior of the resistivity near an antiferromagnetic quantum critical point. Our theory not only explains the observed sign of the resistivity anisotropy Δρ in electron-doped systems but also predicts a sign change of Δρ upon sufficient hole doping. Furthermore, our model naturally addresses the changes in Δρ upon sample annealing and alkaline-earth substitution.
authors.affiliation: Ames Laboratory, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Iowa State University, 50011, USA.
authors.forename: Rafael M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Fernandes
authors.forename: Elihu
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Abrahams
authors.forename: Jörg
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schmalian