Quasiparticle scattering rate in overdoped superconducting cuprates

Abstract

We calculate the quasiparticle scattering rate in the superconducting state of the overdoped cuprates, in the context of the Eliashberg formalism for a Fermi liquid with strong van Hove singularities close to the chemical potential. For a $d_{x^2-y^2}$ superconducting gap, we demonstrate analytically that the scattering rate is linear in the maximum of temperature or energy, but with different intercepts and momentum dependence. We discuss our results in view of angle-resolved photoemission experiments. We also discuss the case of a s-wave gap.

5 pages, published version