Theory of electronic Raman scattering in nearly antiferromagnetic Fermi liquids

A theory of electronic Raman scattering in nearly antiferromagnetic Fermi liquids is constructed using the phenomenological electron-electron interaction introduced by Millis, Monien, and Pines. The role of "hot spots" and their resulting signatures in the channel dependent Raman spectra is highlighted, and different scaling regimes are addressed. The effects of self-consistency and vertex corrections are compared to a perturbative treatment of the interaction. The theory is then compared to Raman spectra taken in the normal state of cuprate superconductors, and it is shown that many features of the symmetry-dependent spectra can be explained by the theory. Remaining questions are addressed. [S0163-1829(99)04109-0].