Gapless spin excitations in superconducting La$_{2-x}$Ca$_{1+x}$Cu$_{2}$O$_{6}$ with $T_c$ up to 55 K

Abstract

We report inelastic neutron scattering on single crystals of the bilayer cuprate family La$_{2-x}$Ca$_{1+x}$Cu$_{2}$O$_{6+\delta}$, including two crystals made superconducting (transitions at 45 and 55 K) by high-pressure annealing in an oxygen-containing atmosphere. The magnetic excitations in the non-superconducting crystal have a similar temperature-dependence as those in weakly hole-doped cuprates. In the superconducting crystals, there is a near-uniform suppression of the magnetic spectral weight with increasing temperature; in particular, there are no signs of a spin gap or "resonance" peak. This is different from the temperature dependence seen in many optimally-doped cuprates but similar to the behavior seen in certain underdoped cuprates. We discuss the possible connection with pair-density-wave superconductivity.