Level crossing, spin structure factor and quantum phases of the frustrated spin-1/2 chain with first and second neighbor exchange

The spin-1/2 chain with isotropic Heisenberg exchange $J_1$, $J_2 > 0$ between first and second neighbors is frustrated for either sign of J1. Its quantum phase diagram has critical points at fixed $J_1/J_2$ between gapless phases with nondegenerate ground state (GS) and quasi-long-range order (QLRO) and gapped phases with doubly degenerate GS and spin correlation functions of finite range. In finite chains, exact diagonalization (ED) estimates critical points as level crossing of excited states. GS spin correlations enter in the spin structure factor $S(q)$ that diverges at wave vector $q_m$ in QLRO($q_m$) phases with periodicity $2pi/q_m$ but remains finite in gapped phases. $S(q_m)$ is evaluated using ED and density matrix renormalization group (DMRG) calculations. Level crossing and the magnitude of $S(q_m)$ are independent and complementary probes of quantum phases, based respectively on excited and ground states. Both indicate a gapless QLRO($pi/2$) phase between $-1.2 < J_1/|J_2| < 0.45$. Numerical results and field theory agree well for quantum critical points at small frustration $J_2$ but disagree in the sector of weak exchange $J_1$ between Heisenberg antiferromagnetic chains on sublattices of odd and even-numbered sites.

Magnetic Field Induced Exotic Phases in Isotropic Frustrated Spin-1/2 chain

The frustrated isotropic $J_1-J_2$ model with ferromagnetic $J_1$ and anti-ferromagnetic $J_2$ interactions in presence of an axial magnetic field shows many exotic phases, such as vector chiral and multipolar phases. The existing studies of the phase boundaries of these systems are based on the indirect evidences such as correlation functions {it etc}. In this paper, the phase boundaries of these exotic phases are calculated based on order parameters and jumps in the magnetization. In the strong magnetic field, $Z_2$ symmetry is broken, therefore, order parameter of the vector chiral phase is calculated using the broken symmetry states. Our results obtained using the modified density matrix renormalization group and exact diagonalization methods, suggest that the vector chiral phase exist only in narrow range of parameter space $J_2/J_1$.

Spin structure factor and quantum phases of frustrated spin-1/2 chains

The static structure factor S(q) of frustrated spin-1/2 chains with isotropic exchange and a singlet ground state (GS) diverges at wave vector q_m when the GS has quasi-long-range order (QLRO) with periodicity 2pi/q_m but S(q_m) is finite in bond-order-wave (BOW) phases with finite-range spin correlations. Exact diagonalization and density matrix renormalization group (DMRG) calculations of S(q) indicate a decoupled phase with QLRO and q_m = pi/2 in chains with large antiferromagnetic exchange between second neighbors. S(q_m) identifies quantum phase transitions based on GS spin correlations.