ORBITAL INSULATORS AND ORBITAL ORDER–DISORDER INDUCED METAL–INSULATOR TRANSITION IN TRANSITION-METAL OXIDES

The role of orbital ordering on metal–insulator transition in transition-metal oxides is investigated by the cluster self-consistent field approach in the strong correlation regime. A clear dependence of the insulating gap of single-particle excitation spectra on the orbital order parameter is found. The thermal fluctuation drives the orbital order–disorder transition, diminishes the gap and leads to the metal–insulator transition. The unusual temperature dependence of the orbital polarization in the orbital insulator is also manifested in the resonant X-ray scattering intensity.