A possibility of high spin hole states in doped CoO2_2 layered systems

We introduce and investigate an effective five-band model for $t_{2g}$ and $e_g$ electrons to describe doped cobalt oxides with Co$^{3+}$ and Co$^{4+}$ ions in two-dimensional CoO$_2$ triangular lattice layers, as in Na$_{1-x}$CoO$_2$. The effective Hamiltonian includes anisotropic kinetic energy (due to both direct Co-Co and indirect Co-O-Co hoppings), on-site Coulomb interactions parameterized by intraorbital Hubbard repulsion $U$ and full Hund's exchange tensor, crystal-field terms and Jahn-Teller static distortions. We study it using correlated wave functions on $6\times 6$ clusters with periodic boundary conditions. The computations indicate low S=0 spin to high S=2 spin abrupt transition in the undoped systems when increasing strength of the crystal field, while intermediate S=1 spins are not found. Surprisingly, for the investigated realistic Hamiltonian parameters describing low spin states in CoO$_2$ planes, doping generates high $S=\frac{5}{2}$ spins at Co$^{4+}$ ions that are pairwise bound into singlets, seen here as pairs of up and down spins. It is found that such singlet pairs self-organize at higher doping into lines of spins with coexisting antiferromagnetic and ferromagnetic bonds, forming stripe-like structures. The ground states are insulating within the investigated range of doping because computed HOMO-LUMO gaps are never small enough.Comment: 20 pages, 5 figure

d−pd-p model and spin-orbital order in the vanadium perovskites

Using the multi-band $d-p$ model and unrestricted Hartree-Fock approximation we investigate the electronic structure and spin-orbital order in three-dimensional VO$_3$ lattice. The main aim of this investigation is testing if simple $d-p$ model, with partly filled $3d$ orbitals (at vanadium ions) and $2p$ orbitals (at oxygen ions), is capable of reproducing correctly nontrivial coexisting spin-orbital order observed in the vanadium perovskites. We point out that the multi-band $d-p$ model has to include partly filled $e_g$ orbitals at vanadium ions. The results suggest weak self-doping as an important correction beyond the ionic model and reproduce the possible ground states with broken spin-orbital symmetry on vanadium ions: either $C$-type alternating orbital order accompanied by $G$-type antiferromagnetic spin order, or $G$-type alternating orbital order accompanied by $C$-type antiferromagnetic spin order. Both states are experimentally observed and compete with each other in YVO$_3$ while only the latter was observed in LaVO$_3$. Orbital order is induced and stabilized by particular patterns of oxygen distortions arising from the Jahn-Teller effect. In contrast to time-consuming \textit{ab-initio} calculations, the computations using $d-p$ model are very quick and should be regarded as very useful in solid state physics, provided the parameters are selected carefully.Comment: 10 pages, 3 figures, accepted by Physical Review

Multiband d−pd-p model and self-doping in the electronic structure of Ba2_2IrO4_4

We introduce and investigate the multiband $d-p$ model describing a IrO$_4$ layer (such as realized in Ba$_2$IrO$_4$) where all $34$ orbitals per unit cell are partly occupied, i.e., $t_{2g}$ and $e_g$ orbitals at iridium and $2p$ orbitals at oxygen ions. The model takes into account anisotropic iridium-oxygen $d-p$ and oxygen-oxygen $p-p$ hopping processes, crystal-field splittings, spin-orbit coupling, and the on-site Coulomb interactions, both at iridium and at oxygen ions. We show that the predictions based on assumed idealized ionic configuration (with $n_0=5+4\times 6=29$ electrons per IrO$_4$ unit) do not explain well the independent \textit{ab initio} data and the experimental data for Ba$_2$IrO$_4$. Instead we find that the total electron density in the $d-p$ states is smaller, $n=29-x0$). When we fix $x=1$, the predictions for the $d-p$ model become more realistic and weakly insulating antiferromagnetic ground state with the moments lying within IrO$_2$ planes along (110) direction is found, in agreement with experiment and \textit{ab initio} data. We also show that: (i) holes delocalize over the oxygen orbitals and the electron density at iridium ions is enhanced, hence (ii) their $e_g$ orbitals are occupied by more than one electron and have to be included in the multiband $d-p$ model describing iridates.Comment: 12 pages, 4 figure

Charge transfer model for the electronic structure of layered ruthenates

Motivated by the earlier experimental results and \textit{ab initio} studies on the electronic structure of layered ruthenates (Sr$_2$RuO$_4$ and Ca$_2$RuO$_4$) we introduce and investigate the multiband $d-p$ charge transfer model describing a single RuO$_4$ layer, similar to the charge transfer model for a single CuO$_2$ plane including apical oxygen orbitals in high $T_c$ cuprates. The present model takes into account nearest-neighbor anisotropic ruthenium-oxygen $d-p$ and oxygen-oxygen $p-p$ hopping elements, crystal-field splittings and spin-orbit coupling. The intraorbital Coulomb repulsion and Hund's exchange are defined not only at ruthenium but also at oxygen ions. Our results demonstrate that the RuO$_4$ layer cannot be regarded to be a pure ruthenium $t_{2g}$ system. We examine a different scenario in which ruthenium $e_g$ orbitals are partly occupied and highlight the significance of oxygen orbitals. We point out that the predictions of an idealized model based on ionic configuration (with $n_0=4+4\times 6=28$ electrons per RuO$_4$ unit) do not agree with the experimental facts for Sr$_2$RuO$_4$ which support our finding that the electron number in the $d-p$ states is significantly smaller. In fact, we find the electron occupation of $d$ and $p$ orbitals for a single RuO$_4$ unit $n=28-x$, being smaller by at least 1--1.5 electrons from that in the ionic model and corresponding to self-doping with $x\simeq 1.5$.Comment: 12 pages, 3 figure

Multiband d-p model for the description of Sr_{2}RuO_{4}

We study electronic structure of multiband d-p model describing RuO_{4} layer such as realized in Sr_{2}RuO_{4}. The model takes into account nearest-neighbor anisotropic ruthenium-oxygen and oxygen-oxygen hoppings, intra-atomic Coulomb interaction, Hund's exchange and in addition spin-orbit coupling on ruthenium. The RuO_{4} is universally considered as a pure t_{2g} system (with e_{g} orbitals empty) due to sizable gap between t_{2g} and e_{g} levels. We show that ruthenium e_{g} orbitals are in fact occupied, similarly like showed earlier for CoO_{2} layers

Stripe Phases in Layered Nickelates

To describe quasi two-dimensional nickelates we introduce an effective Hamiltonian for $e_g$ electrons which includes the kinetic energy, on-site Coulomb interactions, spin-spin and Jahn-Teller (static) terms. The experimental stripe phases are correctly reproduced by the model. The mechanisms responsible for stripe formation are different than those reported in cuprates and manganites.Comment: 3 pages, 3 figures, presented at Euroconference Physics of Magnetism 201

Ground-state properties of rutile: electron-correlation effects

Electron-correlation effects on cohesive energy, lattice constant and bulk compressibility of rutile are calculated using an ab-initio scheme. A competition between the two groups of partially covalent Ti-O bonds is the reason that the correlation energy does not change linearly with deviations from the equilibrium geometry, but is dominated by quadratic terms instead. As a consequence, the Hartree-Fock lattice constants are close to the experimental ones, while the compressibility is strongly renormalized by electronic correlations.Comment: 1 figure to appear in Phys. Rev.

Spin-orbital order in LaMnO3LaMnO_{3}: d−p model study

Using the multiband $d-p$ model and unrestricted Hartree-Fock approximation we investigate the electronic structure and spin-orbital order in three-dimensional MnO$_3$ lattice such as realized in LaMnO$_3$. The orbital order is induced and stabilized by particular checkerboard pattern of oxygen distortions arising from the Jahn-Teller effect in the presence of strong Coulomb interactions on $e_g$ orbitals of Mn ions. We show that the spin-orbital order can be modeled using a simple \textit{Ansatz} for local crystal fields alternating between two sublattices on Mn ions, which have non-equivalent neighboring oxygen distortions in $ab$ planes. The simple and computationally very inexpensive $d-p$ model reproduces correctly nontrivial spin-orbital order observed in undoped LaMnO$_3$. Orbital order is very robust and is reduced by $\sim 3$ \% for large self-doping in the metallic regime.Comment: 10 pages, 2 figures, 3 tables, accepted by Physical Review