Electrical control of direction of orbital stripes in charge-orbital ordered state of single-layered manganite La$_{1/2}$Sr$_{3/2}$MnO$_{4}$

Electrical control of the localized electron such as an electric-field induced metal-insulator transition in charge-orbital ordered (COO) state of perovskite-related manganese oxides has been intensively studied, since the large electroresistance effect in Pr$_{0.7}$Ca$_{0.3}$MnO$_{3}$ was reported[1]. Moreover, the formation of orbital stripes in the COO state gives rise to in-plane anisotropies in the electrical, magnetic, and optical properties. However, there are few reports on controlling anisotropic properties in the COO state. We report an electric-field effect on the in-plane anisotropy in the COO state of a layered manganite La$_{1/2}$Sr$_{3/2}$MnO$_{4}$. After applying an electric field, a 90-degree rotation of COO states has been observed by using a polarizing microscope. A drastic change of the volumes of two COO domains was confirmed by means of synchrotron X-ray diffraction. [1]A. Asamitsu \textit{et al}., Nature \textbf{388}, 50(1997).