Topological Scenario for Stripe Formation in Manganese Oxides

TL;DR

This paper introduces a topological framework using winding numbers to analyze stripe formations in manganites, linking complex spin-charge-orbital structures to topological invariants and predicting spin arrangements in charge-ordered states.

Contribution

It applies topological concepts, specifically winding numbers, to distinguish and analyze different stripe states in manganites, providing a novel perspective on their structural properties.

Findings

Bi-stripe and Wigner-crystal states have distinct winding numbers.

Topological analysis predicts specific spin structures in charge-ordered manganites.

The approach offers a new method to classify complex electronic phases.

Abstract

The spin-charge-orbital complex structures of manganites are studied using topological concepts. The key quantity is the "winding number" w associated with the Berry-phase connection of an e_g electron parallel-transported through Jahn-Teller centers, along zigzag one-dimensional paths in an antiferromagnetic environment of t_{2g} spins. From these concepts, it is shown that the "bi-stripe" and "Wigner-crystal" states observed experimentally have different w's. Predictions for the spin structure of the charge-ordered states for heavily doped manganites are discussed.