Magnetoresistance Anomalies in Antiferromagnetic YBa_2Cu_3O_{6+x}: Fingerprints of Charged Stripes

TL;DR

This study reveals that heavily underdoped YBa_2Cu_3O_{6+x} exhibits anisotropic magnetoresistance due to charged stripe structures, with temperature-dependent hysteresis and memory effects indicating stripe freezing.

Contribution

It provides experimental evidence of charged stripe formations in underdoped YBa_2Cu_3O_{6+x} through novel magnetoresistance features and their temperature-dependent behavior.

Findings

Anisotropic MR with d-wave symmetry caused by stripe rotation

Hysteresis in MR below ~20 K indicating stripe freezing

Persistent resistivity change due to magnetic field at low temperatures

Abstract

We report novel features in the in-plane magnetoresistance (MR) of heavily underdoped YBa_2Cu_3O_{6+x}, which unveil a developed ``charged stripe'' structure in this system. One of the striking features is an anisotropy of the MR with a "d-wave" symmetry upon rotating the magnetic field H within the ab plane, which is caused by the rotation of the stripes with the external field. With decreasing temperature, a hysteresis shows up below ~20 K in the MR curve as a function of H and finally below 10 K the magnetic-field application produces a persistent change in the resistivity. This "memory effect" is caused by the freezing of the directionally-ordered stripes.