Title: Spin dynamics of Sr_14Cu_24O_41 two-leg ladder studied by Raman spectroscopy

Abstract: The two-magnon (2M) excitation at 3000 cm-1 in Sr_14Cu_24O_41 two-leg ladder is studied by Raman scattering. A slight anisotropy of the superexchange coupling J_{\perp}/J_{||} \approx 0.8 with J_{||} = 110 \pm 20 meV is proposed from the analysis of the magnetic scattering. The resonant coupling across the charge transfer gap increases the 2M intensity by orders of magnitude. The anisotropy of Raman scattering is dependent upon the excitation energy. The 2M relaxation is found to be correlated with the temperature dependent electronic Raman continuum at low frequencies.