Luttinger Stripes in Antiferromagnets

TL;DR

This paper models stripe behavior in antiferromagnets as Luttinger liquids coupled with magnetic domains, explaining phase transitions observed in neutron scattering experiments in underdoped cuprates.

Contribution

It introduces a hybrid model combining Luttinger liquids and antiferromagnetic domains, providing a new explanation for the commensurate-incommensurate transition in cuprates.

Findings

Proposes a phase transition mechanism linked to stripe motion.

Suggests stripe crystallization in the magnetically ordered phase.

Explains neutron scattering observations in underdoped cuprates.

Abstract

We propose a model for the physics of stripes in antiferromagnets in which the stripes are described by Luttinger liquids hybridized with antiferromagnetic domains. Using bosonization techniques we study the model in the limit where the magnetic correlation length is larger than the inter-stripe distance and propose an explanation for the commensurate-incommensurate phase transition seen in neutron scattering in the underdoped regime of La_{2-x} Sr_x Cu O_4. The explanation is based on a phase to anti-phase domain transition in the spin configuration which is associated with the transverse motion of the stripes. Using a non-linear sigma model to describe the antiferromagnetic regions we conjecture the crystalization of the stripes in the magnetically ordered phase.