Antiferromagnetic ordering in a 90 K copper oxide superconductor

Abstract

Using elastic neutron scattering, we evidence a commensurate antiferromagnetic Cu(2) order (AF) in the superconducting (SC) high-$\rm T_c$ cuprate $\rm YBa_2(Cu_{1-y}Co_y)_3O_{7+\delta}$ (y=0.013, $\rm T_c$=93 K). As in the Co-free system, the spin excitation spectrum is dominated by a magnetic resonance peak at 41 meV but with a reduced spectral weight. The substitution of Co thus leads to a state where AF and SC cohabit showing that the CuO$_2$ plane is a highly antiferromagnetically polarizable medium even for a sample where T$_c$ remains optimum.