Topological Spin Texture Created by Zhang--Rice Singlets in Cuprate Superconductors

Abstract: One of the most important effects of strong electron correlation in high-Tc cuprates is the formation of Zhang-Rice singlets. By fully accounting for the quantum correlation effect of Zhang-Rice singlet formation, we show that a topological spin texture, skyrmion, is created around a Zhang-Rice singlet in the single-hole-doped CuO2 plane. The skyrmion picture provides a natural connection between the antiferromagnetic correlation and the doping concentration x.