Stripes, Electron-Like and Polaron-Like Carriers, and High-T_c in the Cuprates

Abstract

Both "large-U" and "small-U" orbitals are used to study the electronic structure of the high-T_c cuprates. A striped structure with three types of carriers are induced, polaron-like "stripons" which carry charge, "quasielectrons" which carry both charge and spin, and "svivons" which carry spin and lattice distortion. Anomalous physical properties of the cuprates are derived, and specifically the systematic behavior of the resistivity, Hall constant, and thermoelectric power. Transitions between pair states of quasielectrons and stripons drive high-temperature superconductivity.