Inelastic neutron scattering studies of magnetic fluctuations in the tetragonal and collapsed tetragonal phases of CaFe<sub>2</sub>As<sub>2</sub>

Date
2013-01-01
Authors
Soh, Jing Han
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Alan I. Goldman
Committee Member
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Physics and Astronomy
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Physics and Astronomy
Abstract

The relationship between magnetism and superconductivity has become a central topic of research in studies of superconductivity in the iron pnictides. This thesis presents inelastic neutron scattering studies of the magnetic excitations in FeAs flux-grown CaFe2As2. The ex- perimental data collected using ARCS time-of-flight chopper spectrometer have been analyzed and compared with theoretical models. The focus here is on the role played by antiferromag- netic (AFM) spin fluctuations in superconductivity. We present unambiguous evidence of the absence of magnetic fluctuations in the non-superconducting volume collapsed tetragonal (cT) phase of CaFe2As2 via inelastic neutron scattering time-of-flight data, which is consistent with the view that spin fluctuations are a necessary ingredient for unconventional superconductivity in the iron pnictides. We demonstrate that the cT phase of CaFe2As2 is non-magnetic, raising new questions regarding recent reports of high-temperature superconductivity in the cT phase of closely related compounds.

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