Possible co-existence of local itinerancy and global localization in a quasi-one-dimensional conductor

Abstract

In the chain compound PrBa$_2$Cu$_4$O$_8$ localization appears simultaneously with a dimensional crossover in the electronic ground state when the scattering rate in the chains exceeds the hopping rate between the chains. Here we report the discovery of a large, transverse magnetoresistance in PrBa$_2$Cu$_4$O$_8$ in the localized regime. This result suggests a novel form of localization whereby electrons retain their metallic (quasi-one-dimensional) character over a microscopic length scale despite the fact that macroscopically, they exhibit localized (one-dimensional) behavior.