Phase separation and the existence of superconductivity in a one-dimensional copper-oxygen model

The phase separation instability occurring with increasing nearest-neighbor repulsion V in a two-band Hubbard model (CuO chain) is discussed. Quantum Monte Carlo simulations indicate that this transition is associated with a level-crossing if the filling fraction is close to 1 (half-filled lower band). Spin-density-wave fluctuations then dominate before phase separation. Superconducting fluctuations dominate only at considerably higher doping levels.