Journal of Low Temperature Physics, VoL 105, Nos. 3/4, 1996 Dynamical Stripe Correlations in Cuprate Superconductors. J. Zaanen, O. Y. Osman, H. Eskes and W. van Saarloos Lorentz Institute for Theoretical Physics, Leiden University, P,O.B. 9506, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands Based on the recent observation of the stripe instability in Cuprate super- conductors~ we present the hypothesis that the normal state finds its origin in a particular kind of stripe-quantum fluid. The charged domain walls are interpreted as strings on a lattice and the quantum fluctuation of an indi- vidual string is driven by a proliferation of kinks. The kink dynamics gives rise to meandering fluctuations of the string as a whole. We identify a spe- cial string vacuum characterized by a proliferation of charged kinks. This state carries a Luttinger-liquid like electronic excitation spectrum. PACS numbers: 64.60.-i, 71.27.+a, 74.72.-h, 75.10.-b 1. INTRODUCTION There is a widespread belief that the electron-fluid realized in cuprate superconductors is unrelated to the normal metallic state described by Fermi-liquid theory. Emery and Kivelson were the first to point out the possibility that even the quasiparticle concept itself could be irrelevant in cuprates. 1 They suggested the possibility of dynamical phase separation: the carriers would segegrate in regions which would persist as fluctuating quantities in the metal and the superconductor. Nature seems to have found an even more attractive solution. The car- riers form line-like many particle bound states which are at the same time anti-phase boundaries in the N6el spin background (charged domain walls). It was found some time ago that these textures correspond with the ground states of semiclassical mean field theory in doped Mott-Hubbard insulators. 2 Subsequently, ordered charged domain wall structures were found experi- 569 0022-2291/96/1100-0569509.50/0 1996 Plenum Publishing Corporation