The Effect of an Anisotropic Scattering Rate on the Magnetoresistance of a Metal: A Cuprate-Inspired Analysis

Inspired by the phenomenology of high-critical-temperature superconducting cuprates, we investigate the effect of an anisotropic scattering rate on the magnetoresistance of a metal, relying on Chambers’ solution to the Boltzmann equation. We find that if the scattering rate is enhanced near points of the Fermi surface with a locally higher density of states, an extended regime is found where the magnetoresistance varies linearly with the magnetic field. We then apply our results to fit the experimental magnetoresistance of La1.6−xNd0.4SrxCuO4 and speculate about the possible source of anisotropic scattering.