Spiral Spin Order and Transport Anisotropy in Underdoped Cuprates

We discuss the spiral spin density wave model and its application to explain properties of underdoped La$_{2-x}$Sr$_x$CuO$_4$. We argue that the spiral picture is theoretically well justified in the context of the extended $t-J$ model, and then show that it can explain a number of observed features, such as the location and symmetry of the incommensurate peaks in elastic neutron scattering, as well as the in-plane resistivity anisotropy. A consistent description of the low doping region (below 10% or so) emerges from the spiral formulation, in which the holes show no tendency towards any type of charge order and the physics is purely spin driven.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figures; Proceedings of the International Workshop on Effective Models for Low-Dimensional Strongly Correlated Systems, September 2005, Peyresq, Franc

Spin-flop transitions and spin-wave gaps in La_2CuO_4

We study the spin-wave spectrum and the spin-flop transitions in La_2CuO_4 in a uniform magnetic field at zero temperature. Using the non-linear sigma-model, we show that a field applied along the orthorhombic b direction leads to a two-step rotation of the staggered magnetization, first in the bc and then in the ac plane, until the order parameter is completely aligned along the c axis. In contrast, for a perpendicular magnetic field, we find a conventional spin-flop transition induced by the competition between the field and the interlayer coupling. A comparison with recent measurements of the field-dependence of the in-plane spin-wave gap shows a beautiful agreement between theory and experiments.Comment: 7 pages, 3 figures; added referenc

ARPES Spectral Function in Lightly Doped and Antiferromagnetically Ordered YBa2Cu3O{6+y}

At doping below 6% the bilayer cuprate YBa2Cu3O{6+y} is a collinear antiferromagnet. Independent of doping the value of the staggered magnetization at zero temperature is about 0.6\mu_B. This is the maximum value of the magnetization allowed by quantum fluctuations of localized spins. In this low doping regime the compound is a normal conductor with a finite resistivity at zero temperature. These experimental observations create a unique opportunity for theory to perform a controlled calculation of the electron spectral function. In the present work we perform this calculation within the framework of the extended t-J model. As one expects the Fermi surface consists of small hole pockets centered at (\pi/2,\pi/2). The electron spectral function is very strongly anisotropic with maximum of intensity located at the inner parts of the pockets and with very small intensity at the outer parts. We also found that the antiferromagnetic correlations act against the bilayer bonding-antibonding splitting destroying it. The bilayer Fermi surface splitting is practically zero