Zn-doping effect on the magnetotransport properties of Bi₂Sr_(2-x)La_(x)CuO_(6+δ) single crystals

We report the magnetotransport properties of Bi_{2}Sr_{2-x}La_{x}Cu_{1-z}Zn_{z}O_{6+\delta} (Zn-doped BSLCO) single crystals with z of up to 2.2%. Besides the typical Zn-doping effects on the in-plane resistivity and the Hall angle, we demonstrate that the nature of the low-temperature normal state in the Zn-doped samples is significantly altered from that in the pristine samples under high magnetic fields. In particular, we observe nearly-isotropic negative magnetoresistance as well as an increase in the Hall coefficient at very low temperatures in non-superconducting Zn-doped samples, which we propose to be caused by the Kondo scattering from the local moments induced by Zn impurities.