Theory of incommensurate magnetic correlations across the insulator-superconductor transition of underdoped La2-xSrxCuO4 -: art. no. 097005

The main feature in the elastic neutron scattering of La2-xSrxCuO4 is the existence of incommensurate peaks with positions that jump from 45 degrees to 0 degrees at 5% doping. We show that the spiral state of the t - t(I) - t(II) - J model with realistic parameters describes these data perfectly. We explain why in the insulator the peak is at 45 degrees while it switches to 0 degrees precisely at the insulator-metal transition. The calculated positions of the peaks are in agreement with the data in both phases.