Coherence-incoherence crossover in the normal state of iron-oxypnictides and importance of the Hund's rule coupling

Abstract

A new class of high temperature superconductors based on iron and arsenic was recently discovered, with superconducting transition temperature as high as 55 K. Here we show, using microscopic theory, that the normal state of the iron pnictides at high temperatures is highly anomalous, displaying a Curie Weiss susceptibility and a linear temperature dependence of the resistivity. Below a coherence scale T*, the resistivity sharply drops and susceptibility crosses over to Pauli-like temperature dependence. Remarkably, the coherence-incoherence crossover temperature is a very strong function of the strength of the Hund's rule coupling J_Hund. On the basis of the normal state properties, we estimate J_Hund to be 0.35-0.4 eV. In the atomic limit, this value of J_Hund leads to the critical ratio of the exchange constants J_1/J_2~2. While normal state incoherence is in common to all strongly correlated superconductors, the mechanism for emergence of the incoherent state in iron-oxypnictides, is unique due to its multiorbital electronic structure.