Normal-State Spin Dynamics and Temperature-Dependent Spin Resonance Energy in an Optimally Doped Iron Arsenide Superconductor

TL;DR

This study uses inelastic neutron scattering to analyze spin excitations in an optimally doped iron arsenide superconductor, revealing normal state spin dynamics consistent with nearly antiferromagnetic metals and linking resonance energy to the superconducting gap.

Contribution

It provides detailed normal state spin excitation spectra and demonstrates their agreement with nearly antiferromagnetic metal theory, supporting magnetically mediated pairing models.

Findings

Normal state spin spectrum comparable to underdoped cuprates

Spectrum matches nearly antiferromagnetic metal predictions

Resonance energy follows the superconducting gap temperature dependence

Abstract

The proximity of superconductivity and antiferromagnetism in the phase diagram of iron arsenides, the apparently weak electron-phonon coupling and the "resonance peak" in the superconducting spin excitation spectrum have fostered the hypothesis of magnetically mediated Cooper pairing. However, since most theories of superconductivity are based on a pairing boson of sufficient spectral weight in the normal state, detailed knowledge of the spin excitation spectrum above the superconducting transition temperature Tc is required to assess the viability of this hypothesis. Using inelastic neutron scattering we have studied the spin excitations in optimally doped BaFe1.85Co0.15As2 (Tc = 25 K) over a wide range of temperatures and energies. We present the results in absolute units and find that the normal state spectrum carries a weight comparable to underdoped cuprates. In contrast to cuprates, however, the spectrum agrees well with predictions of the theory of nearly antiferromagnetic metals, without complications arising from a pseudogap or competing incommensurate spin-modulated phases. We also show that the temperature evolution of the resonance energy follows the superconducting energy gap, as expected from conventional Fermi-liquid approaches. Our observations point to a surprisingly simple theoretical description of the spin dynamics in the iron arsenides and provide a solid foundation for models of magnetically mediated superconductivity.