  We report measurements of the magnetic excitation spectrum of the layered
antiferromagnet La2CoO4 by time-of-flight neutron inelastic scattering. In the
energy range probed in our experiments (0-250 meV) the magnetic spectrum
consists of spin-wave modes with strong in-plane dispersion extending up to 60
meV, and a nearly dispersionless peak at 190 meV. The spin-wave modes exhibit a
small (~1 meV) dispersion along the magnetic zone boundary. We show that the
magnetic spectrum can be described very well by a model of a Heisenberg
antiferromagnet that includes the full spin and orbital degrees of freedom of
Co2+ in an axially-distorted crystal field. The collective magnetic dynamics
are found to be controlled by dominant nearest-neighbour exchange interactions,
strong XY-like single-ion anisotropy and a substantial unquenched orbital
angular momentum.
