Theory of magnetic excitations in iron-based layered superconductors

Based on the effective four-band model we analyze the spin response in the normal and superconducting states of the Fe-pnictide superconductors. While the normal-state spin excitations are dominated by the continuum of the interorbital antiferromagnetic fluctuations and the intraband spin-density wave fluctuations, the unconventional superconductivity yields different feedback. The resonance peak in the form of the well-defined spin exciton occurs only for the interband scattering at the antiferromagnetic momentum Q(AFM) for the s(+/-) (extended s wave) superconducting order parameter and it disappears rapidly for q < Q(AFM). The resonance feature is extremely weak for the d(x)(2)-y(2)-wave order parameter due to the specific Fermi-surface topology of these compounds. The essential difference between s(+/-)-wave and d(x)(2)-y(2)-wave symmetries for the magnetic excitations can be used for experimental determination of the superconducting wave-function symmetry.