Spiral to stripe transition in the two-dimensional Hubbard model

Abstract

We obtain an almost complete understanding of the mean-field phase diagram of the two-dimensional Hubbard model on a square lattice with a sizable next-nearest neighbor hopping and a moderate interaction strength. In particular, we clarify the nature of the transition region between the spiral and the stripe phase. Complementing previous [Phys. Rev. B 108, 035139 (2023)] real-space Hartree-Fock calculations on large finite lattices, we solve the mean-field equations for coplanar unidirectional magnetic order directly in the thermodynamic limit, and we determine the nature of the magnetic states right below the mean-field critical temperature $T^*$ by a Landau free energy analysis. While the magnetic order for filling factors $n \geq 1$ is always of N\'eel type, for $n \leq 1$ the following sequence of magnetic states is found as a function of increasing hole-doping: N\'eel, planar circular spiral, multi-spiral, and collinear spin-charge stripe states. Multi-spiral states are superpositions of several spirals with distinct wave vectors, and lead to concomitant charge order. We finally point out that nematic and charge orders inherited from the magnetic order can survive even in the presence of fluctuations, and we present a corresponding qualitative phase diagram.