No Arabic abstract
We present new numerical tools to analyze symmetry-broken phases in the context of $SU(2)$-symmetric translation-invariant matrix product states (MPS) and density-matrix renormalization-group (DMRG) methods for infinite cylinders, and determine the phase diagram of the geometrically-frustrated triangular Heisenberg model with nearest and next-nearest neighbor (NN and NNN) interactions. The appearance of Nambu-Goldstone modes in the excitation spectrum is characterized by tower of states levels in the momentum-resolved entanglement spectrum. Symmetry-breaking phase transitions are detected by a combination of the correlation lengths and second and fourth cumulants of the magnetic order parameters (which we call the Binder ratio), even though symmetry implies that the order parameter itself is strictly zero. Using this approach, we have identified $120^{circ}$ order, a columnar order, and an algebraic spin liquid (specific to width-6 systems), alongside the previously studied topological spin liquid phase. For the latter, we also demonstrate robustness against chiral perturbations.
Using density-matrix renormalization-group calculations for infinite cylinders, we elucidate the properties of the spin-liquid phase of the spin-$frac{1}{2}$ $J_1$-$J_2$ Heisenberg model on the triangular lattice. We find four distinct ground-states characteristic of a non-chiral, $Z_2$ topologically ordered state with vison and spinon excitations. We shed light on the interplay of topological ordering and global symmetries in the model by detecting fractionalization of time-reversal and space-group dihedral symmetries in the anyonic sectors, which leads to coexistence of symmetry protected and intrinsic topological order. The anyonic sectors, and information on the particle statistics, can be characterized by degeneracy patterns and symmetries of the entanglement spectrum. We demonstrate the ground-states on finite-width cylinders are short-range correlated and gapped; however some features in the entanglement spectrum suggest that the system develops gapless spinon-like edge excitations in the large-width limit.
By using variational wave functions and quantum Monte Carlo techniques, we investigate the complete phase diagram of the Heisenberg model on the anisotropic triangular lattice, where two out of three bonds have super-exchange couplings $J$ and the third one has instead $J^prime$. This model interpolates between the square lattice and the isotropic triangular one, for $J^prime/J le 1$, and between the isotropic triangular lattice and a set of decoupled chains, for $J/J^prime le 1$. We consider all the fully-symmetric spin liquids that can be constructed with the fermionic projective-symmetry group classification [Y. Zhou and X.-G. Wen, arXiv:cond-mat/0210662] and we compare them with the spiral magnetic orders that can be accommodated on finite clusters. Our results show that, for $J^prime/J le 1$, the phase diagram is dominated by magnetic orderings, even though a spin-liquid state may be possible in a small parameter window, i.e., $0.7 lesssim J^prime/J lesssim 0.8$. In contrast, for $J/J^prime le 1$, a large spin-liquid region appears close to the limit of decoupled chains, i.e., for $J/J^prime lesssim 0.6$, while magnetically ordered phases with spiral order are stabilized close to the isotropic point.
We study the spin-$1/2$ Heisenberg model on the triangular lattice with the antiferromagnetic first ($J_1$) and second ($J_2$) nearest-neighbor interactions using density matrix renormalization group. By studying the spin correlation function, we find a $120^{circ}$ magnetic order phase for $J_2 lesssim 0.07 J_1$ and a stripe antiferromagnetic phase for $J_2 gtrsim 0.15 J_1$. Between these two phases, we identify a spin liquid region characterized by the exponential decaying spin and dimer correlations, as well as the large spin singlet and triplet excitation gaps on finite-size systems. We find two near degenerating ground states with distinct properties in two sectors, which indicates more than one spin liquid candidates in this region. While the sector with spinon is found to respect the time reversal symmetry, the even sector without a spinon breaks such a symmetry for finite-size systems. Furthermore, we detect the signature of the fractionalization by following the evolution of different ground states with inserting spin flux into the cylinder system. Moreover, by tuning the anisotropic bond coupling, we explore the nature of the spin liquid phase and find the optimal parameter region for the gapped $Z_2$ spin liquid.
We numerically study the Heisenberg models on triangular lattices by extending it from the simplest equilateral lattice with only the nearest-neighbor exchange interaction. We show that, by including an additional weak next-nearest-neighbor interaction, a quantum spin-liquid phase is stabilized against the antiferromagnetic order. The spin gap (triplet excitation gap) and spin correlation at long distances decay algebraically with increasing system size at the critical point between the antiferromagnetic phase and the spin-liquid phase. This algebraic behavior continues in the spin-liquid phase as well, indicating the presence of an unconventional critical (algebraic spin-liquid) phase characterized by the dynamical and anomalous critical exponents $z+etasim1$. Unusually small triplet and singlet excitation energies found in extended points of the Brillouin zone impose constraints on this algebraic spin liquid.
We study the interplay of competing interactions in spin-$1/2$ triangular Heisenberg model through tuning the first- ($J_1$), second- ($J_2$), and third-neighbor ($J_3$) couplings. Based on large-scale density matrix renormalization group calculation, we identify a quantum phase diagram of the system and discover a new {it gapless} chiral spin liquid (CSL) phase in the intermediate $J_2$ and $J_3$ regime. This CSL state spontaneously breaks time-reversal symmetry with finite scalar chiral order, and it has gapless excitations implied by a vanishing spin triplet gap and a finite central charge on the cylinder. Moreover, the central charge grows rapidly with the cylinder circumference, indicating emergent spinon Fermi surfaces. To understand the numerical results we propose a parton mean-field spin liquid state, the $U(1)$ staggered flux state, which breaks time-reversal symmetry with chiral edge modes by adding a Chern insulator mass to Dirac spinons in the $U(1)$ Dirac spin liquid. This state also breaks lattice rotational symmetries and possesses two spinon Fermi surfaces driven by nonzero $J_2$ and $J_3$, which naturally explains the numerical results. To our knowledge, this is the first example of a gapless CSL state with coexisting spinon Fermi surfaces and chiral edge states, demonstrating the rich family of novel phases emergent from competing interactions in triangular-lattice magnets.