  Combined effects of electron correlations and lattice distortions are
investigated on the charge ordering in \theta-(BEDT-TTF)2RbZn(SCN)4
theoretically in a two-dimensional 3/4-filled extended Hubbard model with
electron-lattice couplings. It is known that this material undergoes a phase
transition from a high-symmetry metallic state to a low-symmetry insulating
state with a horizontal-stripe charge order (CO) by lowering temperature. By
means of the exact-diagonalization method, we show that electron-phonon
interactions are crucial to stabilize the horizontal-stripe CO and to realize
the low-symmetry crystal structure.
