Influence of anisotropic next-nearest-neighbor hopping on diagonal charge-striped phases

We consider the model of strongly-correlated system of electrons described by an extended Falicov-Kimball Hamiltonian where the stability of some axial and diagonal striped phases was proved. Introducing a next-nearest-neighbor hopping, small enough not to destroy the striped structure, we examine rigorously how the presence of the next-nearest-neighbor hopping anisotropy reduces the $\pi/2$-rotation degeneracy of the diagonal-striped phase. The effect appears to be similar to that in the case of anisotropy of the nearest-neighbor hopping: the stripes are oriented in the direction of the weaker next-nearest-neighbor hopping.