- Editors' Suggestion
- Letter
Non-Fermi liquid transport and strong mass enhancement near the nematic quantum critical point in thin films
Phys. Rev. B 112, L041121 – Published 22 July, 2025
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/8zfz-252m
Abstract
Unconventional superconductivity is often accompanied by non-Fermi liquid (NFL) behavior, which emerges near a quantum critical point (QCP)— a point where an electronic ordered phase is terminated at absolute zero under nonthermal parameters. While nematic orders, characterized by broken rotational symmetry, are sometimes found in unconventional superconductors, the role of nematic fluctuations in driving NFL transport behavior remains unclear. Here, we investigated electrical and thermoelectric transport properties in thin films and observed hallmark NFL behavior: temperature-linear resistivity and logarithmic divergence of thermoelectricity at low temperatures. Notably, the thermoelectricity peaks sharply at the nematic QCP (, highlighting the dominant role of nematic fluctuations in the NFL transport. Furthermore, we found that the pair-breaking mechanisms in the superconducting phase crosses over from orbital- to Pauli-limited effects, indicating the mass enhancement near the nematic critical regime. These findings reveal the profound impact of nematic fluctuations on both normal-state transport and superconducting properties.