Orbital polaron lattice formation in lightly doped La1-xSrxMnO3

By resonant x-ray scattering at the Mn K-edge on La7/8Sr1/8MnO3, we show that an orbital polaron lattice (OPL) develops at the metal-insulator transition of this compound. This orbital reordering explains consistently the unexpected coexistence of ferromagnetic and insulating properties at low temperatures, the quadrupling of the lattice structure parallel to the MnO2-planes, and the observed polarization and azimuthal dependencies. The OPL is a clear manifestation of strong orbital-hole interactions, which play a crucial role for the colossal magnetoresistance effect and the doped manganites in general

Stripe order at low temperatures in La{2-x}Sr{x}NiO4 for 1/3 < x < 1/2

Stripe order in La{2-x}Sr{x}NiO4 beyond x = 1/3 was studied with neutron scattering technique. At low temperatures, all the samples exhibit hole stripe order. Incommensurability \epsilon of the stripe order is approximately linear in the hole concentration n_h = x + 2\delta up to x = 1/2, where \delta denotes the off-stoichiometry of oxygen atoms. The charge and spin ordering temperatures exhibit maxima at n_h = 1/3, and both decrease beyond n_h > 1/3. For 1/3 < n_h < 1/2, the stripe ordering consists of the mixture of the \epsilon = 1/3 stripe order and the n_h = 1/2 charge/spin order.Comment: REVTeX, 4 pages, 4 figure

Depth-dependent critical behavior in V2H

Using X-ray diffuse scattering, we investigate the critical behavior of an order-disorder phase transition in a defective "skin-layer" of V2H. In the skin-layer, there exist walls of dislocation lines oriented normal to the surface. The density of dislocation lines within a wall decreases continuously with depth. We find that, because of this inhomogeneous distribution of defects, the transition effectively occurs at a depth-dependent local critical temperature. A depth-dependent scaling law is proposed to describe the corresponding critical ordering behavior.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure

Dimensionality Control of Electronic Phase Transitions in Nickel-Oxide Superlattices

The competition between collective quantum phases in materials with strongly correlated electrons depends sensitively on the dimensionality of the electron system, which is difficult to control by standard solid-state chemistry. We have fabricated superlattices of the paramagnetic metal LaNiO3 and the wide-gap insulator LaAlO3 with atomically precise layer sequences. Using optical ellipsometry and low-energy muon spin rotation, superlattices with LaNiO3 as thin as two unit cells are shown to undergo a sequence of collective metalinsulator and antiferromagnetic transitions as a function of decreasing temperature, whereas samples with thicker LaNiO3 layers remain metallic and paramagnetic at all temperatures. Metal-oxide superlattices thus allow control of the dimensionality and collective phase behavior of correlated-electron systems

The Charge Ordered State from Weak to Strong Coupling

We apply the Dynamical Mean Field Theory to the problem of charge ordering. In the normal state as well as in the Charge Ordered (CO) state the existence of polarons, i.e. electrons strongly coupled to local lattice deformation, is associated to the qualitative properties of the Lattice Polarization Distribution Function (LPDF). At intermediate and strong coupling a CO state characterized by a certain amount of thermally activated defects arise from the spatial ordering of preexisting randomly distributed polarons. Properties of this particular CO state gives a qualitative understanding of the low frequency behavior of optical conductivity of $Ni$ perovskites.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, to be published in J. of Superconductivity (proceedings Stripes 98

Spin Dynamics in an Ordered Stripe Phase

Inelastic neutron scattering has been used to measure the low-energy spin excitations in the ordered charge-stripe phase of La(2)NiO(4+d) with d=0.133. Spin-wave-like excitations disperse away from the incommensurate magnetic superlattice points with a velocity ~60% of that in the d=0 compound. Incommensurate inelastic peaks remain well-resolved up to at least twice the magnetic ordering temperature. Paramagnetic scattering from a d=0.105 sample, which has a N\'eel-ordered ground state, shows anomalies suggestive of incipient stripe correlations. Similarities between these results and measurements on superconducting cuprates are discussed.Comment: 5 pp, 2 col., REVTeX, 4 epsf figures embedded with psfig; Abstract and introduction have been revise

Stripe orders in the extended Hubbard model

We study stripe orders of charge and spin density waves in the extended Hubbard model with the nearest-neighbor Coulomb repulsion V within the mean field approximation. We obtain V vs. T(temperature) phase diagram for the on-site Coulomb interaction U/t=8.0 and the filling n=0.8, here t is a nearest-neighbor transfer energy. Our result shows that the diagonal stripe spin density wave state (SDW) is stable for small V, but for large V the most stable state changes to a charge density wave-antiferromagnetic (CDW-AF) state. Especially we find at low temperature and for a certain range of value of V, a vertical stripe CDW-AF state becomes stable.Comment: LaTeX 9 pages, 17 figures, uses jpsj.st

Probing the SELEX Process with Next-Generation Sequencing

Background SELEX is an iterative process in which highly diverse synthetic nucleic acid libraries are selected over many rounds to finally identify aptamers with desired properties. However, little is understood as how binders are enriched during the selection course. Next-generation sequencing offers the opportunity to open the black box and observe a large part of the population dynamics during the selection process. Methodology We have performed a semi-automated SELEX procedure on the model target streptavidin starting with a synthetic DNA oligonucleotide library and compared results obtained by the conventional analysis via cloning and Sanger sequencing with next-generation sequencing. In order to follow the population dynamics during the selection, pools from all selection rounds were barcoded and sequenced in parallel. Conclusions High affinity aptamers can be readily identified simply by copy number enrichment in the first selection rounds. Based on our results, we suggest a new selection scheme that avoids a high number of iterative selection rounds while reducing time, PCR bias, and artifacts

Dynamics of lattice pinned charge stripes

We study the transversal dynamics of a charged stripe (quantum string) and show that zero temperature quantum fluctuations are able to depin it from the lattice. If the hopping amplitude t is much smaller than the string tension J, the string is pinned by the underlying lattice. At t>>J, the string is depinned and allowed to move freely, if we neglect the effect of impurities. By mapping the system onto a 1D array of Josephson junctions, we show that the quantum depinning occurs at t/J = 2 / pi^2. Besides, we exploit the relation of the stripe Hamiltonian to the sine-Gordon theory and calculate the infrared excitation spectrum of the quantum string for arbitrary t/J values.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figure

Charge and spin ordering, and charge transport properties in a two-dimensional inhomogeneous t-J model

We study a two-dimensional t-J model close to the Ising limit in which charge inhomogeneity is stabilized by an on-site potential e_s, by using diagonalization in a restricted Hilbert space and finite temperature Quantum Monte Carlo. Both site and bond centered stripes are considered and their similitudes and differences are analyzed. The amplitude of charge inhomogeneity is studied as e_s -> 0. Moreover, we show that the anti-phase domain ordering occurs at a much lower temperature than the formation of charge inhomogeneities and charge localization. Hole-hole correlations indicate a metallic behavior of the stripes with no signs of hole attraction. Kinetic energies and current susceptibilities are computed and indications of charge localization are discussed. The study of the doping dependence in the range 0.083 < x < 0.167 suggests that these features are characteristic of the whole underdoped region.Comment: minor changes, to be published in Physical Review