Angle-dependent interlayer magnetoresistance in the normal state of the electron-doped cuprate Nd1-xCexCuO4

We report on systematic studies of the normal-state c-axis magnetoresistance of high quality single crystals of Nd2-xCexCuO4 as a function of magnetic field orientation, performed for a broad range of Ce concentrations. In underdoped compounds, the major effect of magnetic field comes from coupling to spins in a magnetically ordered system. Notably, the spin-dependent magnetotransport prevails even for superconducting compositions, up to the optimal doping level. In the overdoped regime, the conventional orbital coupling of charge carriers to a magnetic field becomes dominant. Most interestingly, overdoped samples exhibit features characteristic of the so-called angle-dependent magnetoresistance oscillations (AMRO). We analyze the data using the semiclassical kinetic model and discuss the results in terms of the geometry of the Fermi surface responsible for the AMRO.