Quasiparticle relaxation dynamics in spin-density-wave and superconducting SmFeAsO1−xFx single crystals

We investigate the quasiparticle (QP) relaxation and low-energy electronic structure in undoped SmFeAsO and near-optimally doped SmFeAsO0.8F0.2 single crystals–exhibiting spin-density wave (SDW) ordering and superconductivity, respectively–using pump-probe femtosecond spectroscopy. In the undoped single crystals a single relaxation process is observed, showing a remarkable critical slowing down of the QP relaxation dynamics at the SDW transition temperature TSDW≃125 K. In the superconducting (SC) crystals multiple relaxation processes are present with distinct SC-state quasiparticle recombination dynamics exhibiting a BCS-like T-dependent superconducting gap, and a pseudogap (PG)-like feature with an onset above 180 K indicating the existence of a pseudogap of magnitude 2ΔPG≃120 meV above Tc. From the pump-photon energy dependence we conclude that the SC state and PG relaxation channels are independent, implying the presence of two separate electronic subsystems. We discuss the data in terms of spatial inhomogeneity and multiband scenarios, finding that the latter is more consistent with the present data. © 2010 The American Physical Society