Strain selection of charge and orbital ordering patterns in half-doped manganites

Theoretical and computational results are presented clarifying the role of long-ranged strain interactions in determining the charge and orbital ordering in colossal magnetoresistance manganites. The strain energy contribution is found to be of order 20-30 meV/Mn and in particular stabilizes the anomalous 'zig-zag chain' order observed in many half-doped manganites.