Effect of nonmagnetic impurities on stripes in high-T-c cuprates

We perform the numerically exact diagonalization study of the t-J model wit h nonmagnetic impurities to clarify the relation between Zn impurities and the stripes. By examining the hole-hole correlation function for a two-hole root 18 x root 18 cluster with a single impurity, we find that the impurit y has a tendency to stabilize vertical charge stripes. This tendency is cau sed by the gain of the kinetic energy of holes moving along the stripes tha t are formed avoiding the impurity. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All righ ts reserved.