Spin correlations in the nematic quantum disordered state of FeSe

Liu, Ruixian; Stone, Matthew B.; Gao, Shang; Nakamura, Mitsutaka; Kamazawa, Kazuya; Krajewska, Aleksandra; Walker, Helen C.; Cheng, Peng; Yu, Rong; Si, Qimiao; Dai, Pengcheng; Lu, Xingye

doi:10.1038/s41467-025-60071-2

Spin correlations in the nematic quantum disordered state of FeSe

Journal Article · Thu Jun 05 00:00:00 EDT 2025 · Nature Communications

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-60071-2· OSTI ID:2586904

^[1]; ^[2]; ^[2]; Nakamura, Mitsutaka ^[3]; Kamazawa, Kazuya ^[4]; Krajewska, Aleksandra ^[5]; ^[6]; ^[7]; ^[7]; ^[8]; ^[8]; ^[1]

Beijing Normal University (China); Key Laboratory of Multiscale Spin Physics, Beijing (China)
Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
J-PARC Center, Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA), Ibaraki (Japan)
Research Center for Neutron Science and Technology, Ibaraki (Japan)
Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Didcot (United Kingdom); Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research, Stuttgart (Germany)
Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Didcot (United Kingdom)
Renmin University of China, Beijing (China)
Rice University, Houston, TX (United States)

The quantum-disordered state in FeSe, intertwined with superconductivity and nematicity, has been a research focus in iron-based superconductors. However, the intrinsic spin excitations across the entire Brillouin zone in detwinned FeSe, crucial for understanding its magnetism and superconductivity, have remained unresolved. Using inelastic neutron scattering, we reveal that stripe spin excitations (Q = (1, 0)/(0, 1)) exhibit the C₂ symmetry, while Néel spin excitations (Q = (1, 1)) retain C₄ symmetry within the nematic state. Temperature-dependent differences between Q = (1, 0) and (0, 1) spin excitations above the structural transition unambiguously reveals the nematic quantum disordered state. Comparison with NaFeAs suggests the Néel excitations originate from enhanced 3d_xy orbital correlations. Modeling the stripe dispersions using a J₁-K-J₂ Heisenberg Hamiltonian, we establish a spin-interaction phase diagram, positioning FeSe near a crossover regime between the antiferroquadrupolar, Néel, and stripe orders. Our results provide key insights into the microscopic spin interactions and their role in the intertwined orders in iron-based superconductors.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: National Key Projects for Research and Development of China; National Natural Science Foundation of China; National Science Foundation of China; Robert A. Welch Foundation; USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES)

Grant/Contract Number:: AC05-00OR22725; SC0012311; SC0018197

OSTI ID:: 2586904

Journal Information:: Nature Communications, Journal Name: Nature Communications Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 16; ISSN 2041-1723

Publisher:: Springer Science and Business Media LLCCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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