Spin excitations in layered antiferromagnetic metals and superconductors

Abstract

The proximity of antiferromagnetic order in high-temperature superconducting materials is considered a possible clue to the electronic excitations which form superconducting pairs. Here we study the transverse and longitudinal spin excitation spectrum in a one-band model in the pure spin density wave (SDW) state and in the coexistence state of SDW and the superconductivity. We start from a Stoner insulator and study the evolution of the spectrum with doping, including distinct situations with only hole pockets, with only electron pockets and with pockets of both types. In addition to the usual spin-wave modes, in the partially gapped cases we find significant weight of low-energy particle-hole excitations. We discuss the implications of our findings for neutron scattering experiments and for theories of Cooper-pairing in the metallic SDW state.