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Two Ising-like magnetic excitations in a single-layer cuprate superconductor

Nature Physics volume 8, pages 404–410 (2012)Cite this article

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Abstract

There exists increasing evidence that the phase diagram of the high-transition temperature (Tc) cuprate superconductors is controlled by a quantum critical point. According to one distinct theoretical proposal, on decreasing the hole-carrier concentration a transition occurs to an ordered state with two circulating orbital currents per CuO2 square. Below the ‘pseudogap’ temperature T*(T*>Tc), the theory predicts a discrete order parameter and two weakly-dispersive magnetic excitations in structurally simple compounds which should be measurable by neutron scattering. Indeed, novel magnetic order and one such excitation were recently observed. Here, we demonstrate for tetragonal HgBa2CuO4+δ the existence of a second excitation with local character, consistent with the theory. The excitations mix with conventional antiferromagnetic fluctuations, which points towards a unifying picture of magnetism in the cuprates that will probably require a multi-band description.

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Figure 1: Observation of two excitation branches.
Figure 2: Doping and momentum dependence of intensity.
Figure 3: Temperature dependence.
Figure 4: Magnetic origin verified by spin-polarized measurements.
Figure 5: Mixing between pseudogap excitations and antiferromagnetic spin fluctuations.

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Acknowledgements

We thank C. M. Varma, A. R. Bishop and B. Keimer for stimulating discussions. This research was supported by the US Department of Energy, Office of Basic Energy Sciences. X.Z. acknowledges support by the National Natural Science Foundation, China. Y. Li acknowledges support from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation.

Author information

Author notes

  1. K. Hradil & R. A. Mole

    Present address: Present addresses: X-ray Center, Vienna University of Technology, 1060 Vienna, Austria (K.H.); The Bragg Institute, Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organization, Locked Bag 2001, Kirrawee DC, NSW 2232, Australia (R.A.M.),

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, USA

    Yuan Li

  2. Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany

    Yuan Li

  3. School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, USA

    G. Yu, M. K. Chan, Yangmu Li, N. Barišić, X. Zhao & M. Greven

  4. Laboratoire Léon Brillouin, CEA-CNRS, CEA-Saclay, 91191 Gif sur Yvette, France

    V. Balédent, Y. Sidis & P. Bourges

  5. 1. Physikalisches Institut, Universität Stuttgart, 70550 Stuttgart, Germany

    N. Barišić

  6. State Key Lab of Inorganic Synthesis and Preparative Chemistry, College of Chemistry, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China

    X. Zhao

  7. Institut für Physikalische Chemie, Universität Göttingen, 37077 Göttingen, Germany

    K. Hradil

  8. Forschungsneutronenquelle Heinz Maier-Leibnitz, 85747 Garching, Germany

    R. A. Mole

  9. Institut Laue Langevin, 38042 Grenoble CEDEX 9, France

    P. Steffens

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Contributions

M.G., P.B. and Y.L. planned the project. Y.L., G.Y., M.K.C., V.B. and Yangmu L. performed the neutron scattering experiments. Y.L., N.B. and X.Z. characterized and prepared the samples. P.S., R.A.M., K.H., Y.S. and P.B. were local contacts for the neutron scattering experiments. Y.L. and M.G. analysed the data and wrote the manuscript with input from all coauthors.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to M. Greven.

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Li, Y., Yu, G., Chan, M. et al. Two Ising-like magnetic excitations in a single-layer cuprate superconductor. Nature Phys 8, 404–410 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1038/nphys2271

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