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arXiv:1010.6146 · Physical Review B

Properties of resonating-valence-bond spin liquids and critical dimer models

Ying Tang, Anders W. Sandvik, Christopher L. Henley

Published Nov 21, 2011• 69 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

We use Monte Carlo simulations to study properties of Anderson's resonating-valence-bond (RVB) spin-liquid state on the square lattice (i.e., the equal superposition of all pairing of spins into nearest-neighbor singlet pairs) and compare with the classical dimer model (CDM). The latter system also corresponds to the ground state of the Rokhsar-Kivelson quantum dimer model at its critical point. We find that, although spin-spin correlations decay exponentially in the RVB, four-spin valence-bond-solid correlations are critical, qualitatively like the well-known dimer-dimer correlations of the CDM, but decaying more slowly (as $1/{r}^{\ensuremath{\alpha}}$ with $\ensuremath{\alpha}\ensuremath{\approx}1.20$, compared with $\ensuremath{\alpha}=2$ for the CDM). We also compute the distribution of monomer (defect) pair separations, which decay by a larger exponent in the RVB than in the CDM. We further study both models in their different winding-number sectors and evaluate the relative weights of different sectors. Like the CDM, all the observed RVB behaviors can be understood in the framework of a mapping to a ``height'' model characterized by a gradient-squared stiffness constant $K$. Four independent measurements consistently show a value ${K}_{\mathrm{RVB}}\ensuremath{\approx}1.6{K}_{\mathrm{CDM}}$, with the same kinds of numerical evaluations of ${K}_{\mathrm{CDM}}$ giving results in agreement with the rigorously known value ${K}_{\mathrm{CDM}}=\ensuremath{\pi}/16$. The background of a nonzero winding-number gradient $W/L$ introduces spatial anisotropies and an increase in the effective $K$, both of which can be understood as a consequence of anharmonic terms in the height-model free energy, which are of relevance to the recently proposed scenario of ``Cantor deconfinement'' in extended quantum dimer models. In addition to the standard case of short bonds only, we also studied ensembles in which fourth-neighbor (bipartite) bonds are allowed at a density controlled by a tunable fugacity, resulting (as expected) in a smooth reduction of $K$.

DOI
10.1103/physrevb.84.174427

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We use Monte Carlo simulations to study properties of Anderson's resonating-valence-bond (RVB) spin-liquid state on the square lattice (i.e., the equal superposition of all pairing of spins into nearest-neighbor singlet pairs) and compare with the classical dimer model (CDM). The latter system also corresponds to the ground state of the Rokhsar-Kivelson quantum dimer model at its critical point. We find that, although spin-spin correlations decay exponentially in the RVB, four-spin valence-bond-solid correlations are critical, qualitatively like the well-known dimer-dimer correlations of the CDM, but decaying more slowly (as 1/r\ensuremathα1/{r}^{\ensuremath{\alpha}}1/r\ensuremathα with \ensuremathα\ensuremath≈1.20\ensuremath{\alpha}\ensuremath{\approx}1.20\ensuremathα\ensuremath≈1.20, compared with \ensuremathα=2\ensuremath{\alpha}=2\ensuremathα=2 for the CDM). We also compute the distribution of monomer (defect) pair separations, which decay by a larger exponent in the RVB than in the CDM. We further study both models in their different winding-number sectors and evaluate the relative weights of different sectors. Like the CDM, all the observed RVB behaviors can be understood in the framework of a mapping to a height'' model characterized by a gradient-squared stiffness constant $K$. Four independent measurements consistently show a value ${K}_{\mathrm{RVB}}\ensuremath{\approx}1.6{K}_{\mathrm{CDM}}$, with the same kinds of numerical evaluations of ${K}_{\mathrm{CDM}}$ giving results in agreement with the rigorously known value ${K}_{\mathrm{CDM}}=\ensuremath{\pi}/16$. The background of a nonzero winding-number gradient $W/L$ introduces spatial anisotropies and an increase in the effective $K$, both of which can be understood as a consequence of anharmonic terms in the height-model free energy, which are of relevance to the recently proposed scenario of Cantor deconfinement'' in extended quantum dimer models. In addition to the standard case of short bonds only, we also studied ensembles in which fourth-neighbor (bipartite) bonds are allowed at a density controlled by a tunable fugacity, resulting (as expected) in a smooth reduction of KKK.
We construct a short-range resonating-valence-bond (RVB) state on the ruby lattice, using projected entangled-pair states with bond dimension D=3D=3D=3. By introducing nonlocal moves to the dimer patterns on the torus, we distinguish four distinct sectors in the space of dimer coverings, which is a signature of the topological nature of the RVB wave function. Furthermore, by calculating the reduced density matrix of a bipartition of the RVB state on an infinite cylinder and exploring its entanglement entropy, we confirm the topological nature of the RVB wave function by obtaining a nonzero topological contribution, $\ensuremath{\gamma}=\ensuremath{-}\mathrm{ln}\phantom{\rule{4pt}{0ex}}2$, consistent with that of a Z2{\mathbb{Z}}_{2}Z2​ topological quantum spin liquid. We also calculate the ground-state energy of the spin-12\frac{1}{2}21​ antiferromagnetic Heisenberg model on the ruby lattice and compare it with the RVB energy. Finally, we construct a quantum dimer model for the ruby lattice and discuss it as a possible parent Hamiltonian for the RVB wave function.
We introduce a Monte Carlo scheme based on sampling of Pfaffians to investigate Anderson's resonating-valence-bond (RVB) spin liquid wave function on the kagome and the triangular lattice. This eliminates a sign problem that prevents utilization of the valence bond basis in Monte Carlo studies for nonbipartite lattices. Studying lattice sizes of up to 600 sites, we calculate singlet-singlet and spin-spin correlations and demonstrate how the lattice symmetry is restored within each topological sector as the system size is increased. Our findings are consistent with the expectation that the nearest-neighbor RVB states describe a topological spin liquid on these nonbipartite lattices.
We consider a family of SU(2)-symmetric Projected Entangled Paired States (PEPS) on the square lattice, defining colored-Resonating Valence Bond (RVB) states, to describe the quantum disordered phase of the J_1-J_2 J 1 − J 2 frustrated Heisenberg model. For J_2/J_1\sim 0.55 J 2 / J 1 ∼ 0.55 we show the emergence of critical (algebraic) dimer-dimer correlations – typical of Rokhsar-Kivelson (RK) points of quantum dimer models on bipartite lattices – while, simultaneously, the spin-spin correlation length remains short. Our findings are consistent with a spin liquid or a weak Valence Bond Crystal in the neighborhood of an RK point.
We investigate separability and entanglement of Rokhsar-Kivelson (RK) states and resonating valence-bond (RVB) states. These states play a prominent role in condensed matter physics, as they can describe quantum spin liquids and quantum critical states of matter, depending on their underlying lattices. For dimer RK states on arbitrary tileable graphs, we prove the exact separability of the reduced density matrix of k k disconnected subsystems, implying the absence of bipartite and multipartite entanglement between the subsystems. For more general RK states with local constraints, we argue separability in the thermodynamic limit, and show that any local RK state has zero logarithmic negativity, even if the density matrix is not exactly separable. In the case of adjacent subsystems, we find an exact expression for the logarithmic negativity in terms of partition functions of the underlying statistical model. For RVB states, we show separability for disconnected subsystems up to exponentially small terms in the distance d d between the subsystems, and that the logarithmic negativity is exponentially suppressed with d d . We argue that separability does hold in the scaling limit, even for arbitrarily small ratio d/L d / L , where L L is the characteristic size of the subsystems. Our results hold for arbitrary lattices, and encompass a large class of RK and RVB states, which include certain gapped quantum spin liquids and gapless quantum critical systems.
Strongly correlated low-dimensional quantum spin models provide a well-established frame- \nwork to study magnetic properties of insulators, and are of great theoretical interest and experimental relevance in condensed-matter physics. In this thesis, I use quantum Monte Carlo methods to numerically study quantum critical behavior in low-dimensional quantum spin models and wavefunctions. \n \nFirst, I study spinons &ndash emergent spin-1/2 bosonic excitations &ndash at certain one- and two-dimensional quantum phase transitions (QPTs) in spin models, by characterizing their size and confinement length quantitatively. In particular, I focus on the QPT from an antiferromagnetic (AFM) phase into a valence-bond solid (VBS) phase, which is an example of a violation of the standard Landau-Ginzburg-Wilson paradigm for phase transitions. This transition in two dimensions (2D) is instead likely described by a novel theory called "deconfined quantum criticality" (DQC). According to the theory, spinons should be deconfined. The degree of deconfinement is quantified in my calculations. \n \nSecond, I present a comprehensive study of so-called short-bond resonating-valence-bond (RVB) spin liquids in 2D, which have been suggested as a good starting point for understanding the spin physics of high-temperature cuprates. I find that these RVB states can also be classified as quantum-critical VBS states, which indicates that RVB is less disordered than expected. This work suggests a possible mapping from the quantum RVB states to classical dimer models via a classical continuum field theory--the height model. This map explicitly bridges well-established classical results to future quantum studies. \n \nThird, I consider 1D amplitude product (AP) states, which are generalized versions of RVB states, with different wavefunction weightings of bonds according to their lengths. AP states constitute a good ansatz for certain Hamiltonians and are of broad interest in quantum magnetism. I study phase transitions from AFM-VBS phases in AP states by tuning their amplitudes, and obtain continuously varying critical exponents. In addition, I classify the 1D AP states through entanglement entropy calculations of the central charge in (1+1)D conformal field theory. This new classification could serve as guide for AP states as trial wavefunctions to search for ground states of corresponding quantum spin models.
We study resonating-valence-bond (RVB) states on the square lattice of spins and of dimers, as well as SU ( N )-invariant states that interpolate between the two. These states are ground states of gapless models, although the SU (2)-invariant spin RVB state is also believed to be a gapped liquid in its spinful sector. We show that the gapless behavior in spin and dimer RVB states is qualitatively similar by studying the Rényi entropy for splitting a torus into two cylinders. We compute this exactly for dimers, showing it behaves similarly to the familiar one-dimensional log term, although not identically. We extend the exact computation to an effective theory believed to interpolate among these states. By numerical calculations for the SU (2) RVB state and its SU ( N )-invariant generalizations, we provide further support for this belief. We also show how the entanglement entropy behaves qualitatively differently for different values of the Rényi index n , with large values of n proving a more sensitive probe here, by virtue of exhibiting a striking even/odd effect.