Spin Fluctuations in the Underdoped High-Tc Cuprate La1.93Sr0.07CuO4

Abstract

We performed magnetic inelastic neutron-scattering experiments on La(1.93)Sr(0.07)CuO(4) over a wide range of E and T;2 < E < 44 meV and 1.5 < T < 300 K. The dynamic susceptibility X"(q,E) of this underdoped high-Tc superconductor (Tc = 17 K) is characterized by broad, incommensurate peaks. Here, the incommensurate wavevector is approximately 0.07 reciprocal lattice units at low T and E. The superconducting phase does not possess an observable gap in the spin excitation spectrum down to at least 2 meV. Scaling behavior is demonstrated for the q-integrate energy spectrum X"(E) with respect to (E/kT). This scaling establishes a connnection between the magnetic excitations of the compositions on either side of the insulator-superconductor boundary in the La(2-x)Sr(x)CuO(4) phase diagram. We note a possible cross-over from an incommensurate to a commensurate response for E > 20 meV or T > 300 K.