Luttinger stripes in antiferromagnets

Abstract

We propose a model for the physics of stripes in antiferromagnets in which the stripes are described by Luttinger liquids hybridized with antiferromagnetic domains. Using bosonization techniques we study the model in the limit where the magnetic correlation length is larger than the inter-stripe distance and propose an explanation for the commensurate-incommensurate phase transition seen in neutron scattering in the underdoped regime of La₂-_χx Sr_χx Cu O₄. The explanation is based on a phase to anti-phase domain transition in the spin configuration which is associated with the transverse motion of the stripes. Using a non-linear σ model to describe the antiferromagnetic regions we conjecture the crystalization of the stripes in the magnetically ordered phase.