White-Scalapino-like Stripes in a Mean-Field Hubbard Model

Abstract

A mean field calculation of the Hubbard model finds a rich phase diagram. The antiferromagnetic phase is generally unstable away from half filling, and there are several regions of phase separation. One solution in particular closely resembles the stripe phase of White and Scalapino. By comparison to unrestricted Hartree-Fock calculations (for which this phase is metastable), it is demonstrated that this phase arises from phase separation. The interface surface tension is found to change sign below a particular stripe width, at which point the stripes begin to meander, gradually crossing over to diagonal.