Mobile anti-phase domains in lightly doped lanthanum cuprate

TL;DR

This paper investigates how light hole doping in lanthanum cuprate affects antiferromagnetic order, proposing a model where doped holes form mobile anti-phase domains that influence magnetic properties.

Contribution

It introduces a model where doped holes phase separate into charged domain walls surrounding anti-phase domains, explaining magnetic suppression in lightly doped lanthanum cuprate.

Findings

Light hole doping suppresses AF order and sub-lattice magnetization.

Doped holes form mobile anti-phase domains that become pinned or evaporate at low temperatures.

Abstract

Light hole doping of lanthanum cuprate strongly suppresses the onset of antiferromagnetic (AF) order. Surprisingly, it simultaneously suppresses the extrapolated zero temperature sub-lattice magnetization. 139La NQR results in lightly Li-doped lanthanum cuprate have demonstrated that these effects are independent of the details of the mobility of the added holes. We propose a model in which doped holes phase separate into charged domain walls that surround ``anti-phase'' domains. These domains are mobile down to ~30 K where they either become pinned to the lattice or evaporate as their constituent holes become pinned to dopant impurities.