Coupled Magnetic Excitations in Single Crystal PrBa2Cu3O6.2

The dispersion of the low-energy magnetic excitations of the Pr sublattice in PrBa2Cu3O6.2 is determined by inelastic neutron scattering measurements on a single crystal. The dispersion, which shows the effect of interactions with the Cu spin-waves, is well described by a model of the coupled Cu-Pr magnetic system. This enables values for the principal exchange constants to be determined, which suggest that both Pr-Pr and Cu-Pr interactions are important in producing the anomalously high ordering temperature of the Pr sublattice. Measurements of the Cu optic spin wave mode show that the inter-layer Cu-Cu exchange is significantly lower than in YBa2Cu3O6.2.