Electron-phonon interactions in the copper oxides: Implications for the resistivity

The effects of strong Coulomb correlations on the electron-phonon interaction are calculated using a frozen-phonon approach applied to the extended Hubbard, infinite-U Hamiltonian. As the insulator is approached the electron-phonon interaction becomes progressively weakened due to the inability to transfer charge. Both the magnitude and concentration x dependence of $m^{\mathrm{*}}$/n are consistent with experiment. While there are no clear experimental trends for variations of 1/τ with x, the magntiude is in agreement with the data. That the calculated electron-phonon contribution to ρ is nearly linear and found to account for most of the observed magnitude must be recognized in estimating the importance of other electronic or magnetic scattering contributions to the linear resistivity.