Influence of long-range interactions on charge ordering phenomena on a square lattice

Usually complex charge ordering phenomena arise due to competing interactions. We have studied how such ordered patterns emerge from the frustration of a long-ranged interaction on a lattice. Using the lattice gas model on a square lattice with fixed particle density, we have identified several interesting phases, such as a generalization of Wigner crystals at low particle densities and stripe phases at densities between ρ=1/3 and 1/2. These stripes act as domain walls in the checkerboard phase present at half-filling. The phases are characterized at zero temperatures using numerical simulations, and mean field theory is used to construct a finite temperature phase diagram.