Modeling of the out-of-plane resistivity of cuprate superconductors

The c-axis resistivity, ρc(T), of high-Tc cuprates have been modeled in this study. ρc(T) was described by considering the pseudogap and a quantum critical point (QCP). This simple phenomenological model describes the experimental data remarkably well. The pseudogap energy scale, εg, was extracted from the analysis of the ρc(T) data. The out-of-plane (c-axis) resistivity, ρc(T), of high-Tc cuprates have been modeled in this study. The non-Fermi liquid like temperature dependence of ρc(T) has been described by considering (i) the full impact of the pseudogap (PG) in the electronic density of states (EDOS) and (ii) the presence of a quantum critical point (QCP) beneath the superconducting dome at slightly overdoped region. This simple phenomenological model describes the experimental ρc(T) data over a wide range of hole content (from the underdoped to slightly overdoped regions) remarkably well. The PG energy scale, εg (dominated by the anti-nodal parts of the Brillouin zone) extracted from the analysis of ρc(T) data was found to decrease almost linearly with increasing hole concentration, p, in the CuO2 planes. We have also discussed about the possible origin of more conventional behavior of ρc(T) observed in the deeply overdoped side of the T–p phase diagram in this paper.