Finite-temperature properties of a gauge theory of nonrelativistic fermions

We study finite-temperature properties of a gauge theory of nonrelativistic fermions introduced by Halperin, Lee, and Read. This gauge theory is relevant to two interesting systems: high-T-c superconductors in the anomalous metallic phase and a two-dimensional electron system in a strong magnetic field at the Landau filling factor nu = 1/2. We calculate the self-energies of both gauge bosons and fermions by the random-phase approximation, showing that the dominant terms at low energies are generated by the gauge-fermion interaction. The current-current correlation function is also calculated by the ladder approximation. We confirm that the electric conductivity satisfies the Drude formula and obtain its temperature dependence, which is of a non-Fermi liquid.