  A mechanism is proposed to explain the formation of a small-polaron
superlattice above the Curie temperature in manganites. The order-disorder
transition initiated by the external field at a lattice is known responsible
for the colossal resistance effect. We attribute the lattice formation to the
occurrence of strong Van der Waals pairing of vibronic small polarons arising
from the phonon coupling of highly polarizable two-level orbital systems. The
latter having inherent electric and magnetic dipoles associated with them, they
couple to the external field leading to the observed colossal effects. We find
numerical estimates of the critical field compatible.
