Instantaneous Spin Correlations in La2CuO4

TL;DR

This study uses neutron scattering to measure spin correlations in La2CuO4 across a wide temperature range, confirming theoretical predictions for the 2D quantum Heisenberg model with high accuracy.

Contribution

It provides experimental validation of the quantum non-linear sigma model predictions for spin correlations in La2CuO4 over a broad temperature range.

Findings

Correlation length matches theoretical models without adjustable parameters.

Experimental results agree with quantum Monte Carlo simulations.

Amplitude shows subtle deviations from low-temperature predictions.

Abstract

We have carried out a neutron scattering study of the instantaneous spin-spin correlations in La2CuO4 (T_N = 325 K) over the temperature range 337 K to 824 K. Incident neutron energies varying from 14.7 meV to 115 meV have been employed in order to guarantee that the energy integration is carried out properly. The results so-obtained for the spin correlation length as a function of temperature when expressed in reduced units agree quantitatively both with previous results for the two dimensional (2D) tetragonal material Sr2CuO2Cl2 and with quantum Monte Carlo results for the nearest neighbor square lattice S=1/2 Heisenberg model. All of the experimental and numerical results for the correlation length are well described without any adjustable parameters by the behavior predicted for the quantum non-linear sigma model in the low temperature renormalized classical regime. The amplitude, on the other hand, deviates subtly from the predicted low temperature behavior. These results are discussed in the context of recent theory for the 2D quantum Heisenberg model.