Elastic stripes formation at electronic transitions

TL;DR

This paper explores how elastic incompatibilities in finite systems can lead to stripe patterns during electronic phase transitions, especially in thin films, driven by elastic energy considerations.

Contribution

It introduces a mechanism for stripe formation at electronic transitions due to elastic effects and boundary conditions, extending understanding of phase inhomogeneities.

Findings

Stripe patterns can emerge near electronic transitions in finite systems.

Stripes are stabilized when elastic energy gain exceeds electronic and domain wall costs.

In thin films, stripes can span the entire depth of the system.

Abstract

We investigate the possibility of a striped inhomoegenous phase occurring as an electronic system with an order parameter linearly coupled to the elastic degrees of freedom is tuned through the electronic phase transition. We find that in finite systems where boundary conditions create an eleastic incompatibility, a stripe pattern may emerge in the vicinity of the electronic transition. Stripes are stabilized when the gained elastic energy overcomes the typical electronic and domain wall energy costs. In thin film geometries, the stripes are found to extend across the entire depth of the system. We also study the behavior of the phase fraction across the spinodal region of a first order phase transition. The orientation of stripes and the possibility of more complicated patterns is also discussed.