Electron-phonon origins of unconventional resistivity in moderately correlated perovskite oxides

Transition-metal perovskite oxides exhibit moderately correlated metallic phases, several of which exhibit a $T^2$ resistivity scaling up to temperatures far exceeding the regime where Fermi-liquid electron-electron scattering is expected to dominate. Some of these materials, such as SrMoO${}_3$, also exhibit unexplained ultra-low room-temperature resistivity. We demonstrate that in SrMoO${}_3$, SrWO${}_3$, SrTaO${}_3$, SrNbO${}_3$, and SrVO${}_3$ electron-phonon scattering results in quadratic-scaling resistivity due to the shape of the Fermi surface and the thermal activation of optical phonons. We also reveal that the origin of the low resistivity of SrMoO${}_3$ is an overall low electron-phonon coupling strength, and identify SrWO${}_3$ and SrTaO${}_3$ as other possible low-resistivity oxides. Additionally, we find that the strength of electron-phonon coupling is sensitive to structural distortions, energies of optical phonons, and the treatment of electronic correlations. This suggests design principles for finding other ultra-high conductivity transition-metal oxides, and has significant implications for theoretical interpretation of direct-current resistivity in transition-metal oxides and beyond.