Gapped commensurate antiferromagnetic response in a strongly underdoped model cuprate superconductor
Abstract It is a distinct possibility that spin fluctuations are the pairing interactions in numerous unconventional superconductors. In the high-transition-temperature (high-T c) cuprates, superconductivity emerges upon doping antiferromagnetic Mott insulators, and spin fluctuations might furthermo...
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Nature Portfolio
2025-08-01
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| Series: | npj Quantum Materials |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41535-025-00804-0 |
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| author | Z. W. Anderson Y. Tang V. Nagarajan M. K. Chan C. J. Dorow G. Yu D. L. Abernathy A. D. Christianson L. Mangin-Thro P. Steffens T. Sterling D. Reznik D. Bounoua Y. Sidis P. Bourges M. Greven |
| author_facet | Z. W. Anderson Y. Tang V. Nagarajan M. K. Chan C. J. Dorow G. Yu D. L. Abernathy A. D. Christianson L. Mangin-Thro P. Steffens T. Sterling D. Reznik D. Bounoua Y. Sidis P. Bourges M. Greven |
| author_sort | Z. W. Anderson |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract It is a distinct possibility that spin fluctuations are the pairing interactions in numerous unconventional superconductors. In the high-transition-temperature (high-T c) cuprates, superconductivity emerges upon doping antiferromagnetic Mott insulators, and spin fluctuations might furthermore drive unusual pseudogap phenomena. Here we use magnetic neutron scattering to study the highly underdoped cuprate HgBa2CuO4+δ (hole concentration p ≈ 0.064). In contrast to prior results for other underdoped cuprates, we find no evidence of incommensurate magnetic order associated with spin-density-wave or stripe correlations. Instead, the antiferromagnetic response in both the superconducting and pseudogap states is gapped below ΔAF ≈ 6 meV, commensurate over a wide energy range, and disperses above about 55 meV. Given the pristine nature of HgBa2CuO4+δ , which exhibits high structural symmetry and minimal point disorder effects, this behavior likely signifies the unmasked response of the underlying CuO2 planes near the Mott-insulating state. These results serve as a benchmark for a refined theoretical understanding of the cuprates. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-e81600b5be4d4a18be841ad732f0bc68 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2397-4648 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-08-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | npj Quantum Materials |
| spelling | doaj-art-e81600b5be4d4a18be841ad732f0bc682025-08-24T11:06:20ZengNature Portfolionpj Quantum Materials2397-46482025-08-011011910.1038/s41535-025-00804-0Gapped commensurate antiferromagnetic response in a strongly underdoped model cuprate superconductorZ. W. Anderson0Y. Tang1V. Nagarajan2M. K. Chan3C. J. Dorow4G. Yu5D. L. Abernathy6A. D. Christianson7L. Mangin-Thro8P. Steffens9T. Sterling10D. Reznik11D. Bounoua12Y. Sidis13P. Bourges14M. Greven15School of Physics and Astronomy, University of MinnesotaSchool of Physics and Astronomy, University of MinnesotaSchool of Physics and Astronomy, University of MinnesotaSchool of Physics and Astronomy, University of MinnesotaSchool of Physics and Astronomy, University of MinnesotaSchool of Physics and Astronomy, University of MinnesotaNeutron Scattering Division, Oak Ridge National LaboratoryMaterials Science and Technology Division, Oak Ridge National LaboratoryInstitut Laue-LangevinInstitut Laue-LangevinDepartment of Physics, University of Colorado BoulderDepartment of Physics, University of Colorado BoulderLaboratoire Léon Brillouin, CEA-CNRS, Université Paris-Saclay CEA-SaclayLaboratoire Léon Brillouin, CEA-CNRS, Université Paris-Saclay CEA-SaclayLaboratoire Léon Brillouin, CEA-CNRS, Université Paris-Saclay CEA-SaclaySchool of Physics and Astronomy, University of MinnesotaAbstract It is a distinct possibility that spin fluctuations are the pairing interactions in numerous unconventional superconductors. In the high-transition-temperature (high-T c) cuprates, superconductivity emerges upon doping antiferromagnetic Mott insulators, and spin fluctuations might furthermore drive unusual pseudogap phenomena. Here we use magnetic neutron scattering to study the highly underdoped cuprate HgBa2CuO4+δ (hole concentration p ≈ 0.064). In contrast to prior results for other underdoped cuprates, we find no evidence of incommensurate magnetic order associated with spin-density-wave or stripe correlations. Instead, the antiferromagnetic response in both the superconducting and pseudogap states is gapped below ΔAF ≈ 6 meV, commensurate over a wide energy range, and disperses above about 55 meV. Given the pristine nature of HgBa2CuO4+δ , which exhibits high structural symmetry and minimal point disorder effects, this behavior likely signifies the unmasked response of the underlying CuO2 planes near the Mott-insulating state. These results serve as a benchmark for a refined theoretical understanding of the cuprates.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41535-025-00804-0 |
| spellingShingle | Z. W. Anderson Y. Tang V. Nagarajan M. K. Chan C. J. Dorow G. Yu D. L. Abernathy A. D. Christianson L. Mangin-Thro P. Steffens T. Sterling D. Reznik D. Bounoua Y. Sidis P. Bourges M. Greven Gapped commensurate antiferromagnetic response in a strongly underdoped model cuprate superconductor npj Quantum Materials |
| title | Gapped commensurate antiferromagnetic response in a strongly underdoped model cuprate superconductor |
| title_full | Gapped commensurate antiferromagnetic response in a strongly underdoped model cuprate superconductor |
| title_fullStr | Gapped commensurate antiferromagnetic response in a strongly underdoped model cuprate superconductor |
| title_full_unstemmed | Gapped commensurate antiferromagnetic response in a strongly underdoped model cuprate superconductor |
| title_short | Gapped commensurate antiferromagnetic response in a strongly underdoped model cuprate superconductor |
| title_sort | gapped commensurate antiferromagnetic response in a strongly underdoped model cuprate superconductor |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41535-025-00804-0 |
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