Bloch electrons in a Jahn-Teller crystal and an orbital-density-wave state due to the Berry phase

Abstract

The effect of the Berry phase is included explicitly in the wavefunction describing conduction electrons in a crystal composed of periodically arrayed Jahn-Teller centers that have conically intersecting potential energy surfaces. The Berry phase can make a drastic change in the band structure, leading generally to the formation of an orbital-density-wave state. We discuss implications of our theory and possible relations to the orbital ordering observed in the manganese perovskites.