Comment on ''Phase Diagram of La2−x_{2-x}Srx_xCuO4_4 Probed in the Infrared: Imprints of Charge Stripe Excitations''

Recently Lucarelli {\it et al.} have reported\cite{lucarelli} temperature-dependence of the in-plane optical reflectivity of La$_{2-x}$Sr$_x$CuO$_4$ over a wide doping range, focusing on the infrared peaks at 30 cm$^{-1}$ (for $x$=0.12), 250 cm$^{-1}$ and 510 cm$^{-1}$. They interpreted the first peak (30 cm$^{-1}$) as a signature of charge stripe ordering, while the latter two (250 cm$^{-1}$ and 510 cm$^{-1}$) are attributed to the polaronic charge excitations. However, careful readers would notice that the reported spectra are largely different from those so far measured on the same system. As we illustrate below, all these peaks are caused by an uncontrolled leakage of the c-axis reflectivity into the measured spectra.Comment: 1 page, 1 figure, accepted for publication in Phys. Rev. Lett 91 (2003

Sliding Density-Wave in Sr_{14}Cu_{24}O_{41} Ladder Compounds

We used transport and Raman scattering measurements to identify the insulating state of self-doped spin 1/2 two-leg ladders of Sr_{14}Cu_{24}O_{41} as a weakly pinned, sliding density wave with non-linear conductivity and a giant dielectric response that persists to remarkably high temperatures

On the Superradiance of Spin-1 Waves in an Equatorial Wedge around a Kerr Hole

Recently Van Putten has suggested that superradiance of magnetosonic waves in a toroidal magnetosphere around a Kerr black hole may play a role in the central engine of gamma-ray bursts. In this context, he computed (in the WKB approximation) the superradiant amplification of scalar waves confined to a thin equatorial wedge around a Kerr hole and found that the superradiance is higher than for radiation incident over all angles. This paper presents calculations of both spin-0 (scalar) superradiance (integrating the radial equation rather than using the WKB method) and and spin-1 (electromagnetic/magnetosonic) superradiance, in Van Putten's wedge geometry. In contrast to the scalar case, spin-1 superradiance decreases in the wedge geometry, decreasing the likelihood of its astrophysical importance.Comment: Submitted to The Astrophysical Journal Letter

Effects of biquadratic exchange on the spectrum of elementary excitations in spin ladders

We investigate the influence of biquadratic exchange interactions on the low-lying excitations of a S=1/2-ladder using perturbation theory, numerical diagonalization of finite systems and exact results for ladders with matrix product ground states. We consider in particular the combination of biquadratic exchange interactions corresponding to ring exchange on the basic ladder plaquette. We find that a moderate amount of ring exchange reduces the spin gap substantially and makes equal bilinear exchange on legs and rungs consistent with experimentally observed spectra.Comment: RevTeX, 17 pages, 6 embedded figures, uses epsfi

Anisotropic effect of field on the orthorhombic-to-tetragonal transition in the striped cuprate (La,Nd)_{2-x}Sr_xCuO_4

The Nd-doped cuprate La_{2-y-x}Nd_ySr_xCuO_4 displays a first-order phase transition at T_d (= 74 K for x=0.10, y = 0.60) to a low-temperature tetragonal (LTT) phase. A magnetic field H applied || the a-axis leads to an increase in T_d, whereas T_d is decreased when H || c. These effects show that magnetic ordering involving both Nd and Cu spins plays a key role in driving the LTO-LTT transition. Related anisotropic effects are observed in the uniform susceptibility and the in-plane magnetoresistance.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figure