We examine electronic states of antiferromagnetic phase in iron pnictides by mean-field calculations of the optical conductivity. We find that a five-band model exhibiting a small magnetic moment, inconsistent with the first-principles calculations, reproduces well the excitation spectra characterized by a multipeak structure emerging below the Néel temperature at low energy, together with an almost temperature-independent structure at high energy. Investigating the interlayer magnetoresistance for this model, we also predict its characteristic field dependence reflecting the Fermi surface.

• Received 6 September 2009

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.103.247202