Spin dynamics of the 2D spin 1/2 quantum antiferromagnet copper deuteroformate tetradeuterate (CFTD)

The magnetic excitation spectrum in the two-dimensional (2D) S = 1/2 Heisenberg antiferromagnet copper deuteroformate tetradeuterate has been measured for temperatures up to T similar to J/2, where J = 6.31 +/- 0.02 meV is the 2D exchange coupling. For T << J, a dispersion of the zone boundary energy is observed, which is attributed to a wave vector dependent quantum renormalization. At higher temperatures, spin-wavelike excitations persist, but are found to broaden and soften. By combining our data with numerical calculations, and with existing theoretical work, a consistent description of the behavior of the model system is found over the whole temperature interval investigated