Spin-parity and broken symmetry in finite spin- 12 chains with frustrated exchange: Quantum transition from high to low spin

Abstract

Exact diagonalization of finite spin-1/2 chains with periodic boundary conditions is applied to the ground state (GS) of chains with ferromagnetic (F) exchange ${J}_{1}<0$ between first neighbors, antiferromagnetic (AF) exchange ${J}_{2}=\ensuremath{\alpha}{J}_{1}>0$ between second neighbors, and axial anisotropy $0\ensuremath{\le}\ensuremath{\Delta}\ensuremath{\le}1$. In zero field, the GS is in the ${S}_{z}=0$ sector for the relevant parameters and is doubly degenerate at multiple points ${\ensuremath{\gamma}}_{m}=({\ensuremath{\alpha}}_{m},{\ensuremath{\Delta}}_{m})$ in the $\ensuremath{\alpha}$, $\ensuremath{\Delta}$ plane. Degeneracy under inversion at sites or spin-parity or both leads, respectively, to a bond order wave (BOW), to staggered magnetization, or to vector chiral (VC) order. Exact results up to $N=28$ spins directly yield order parameters and spin correlation functions whose weak $N$ dependencies allow inferences about infinite chains. The high-spin GS at ${J}_{2}=0$ changes discontinuously at ${\ensuremath{\gamma}}_{1}=(\ensuremath{-}1/4,1)$ to a singlet in the isotropic ($\ensuremath{\Delta}=1$) chain. The transition from high to low spin $S(\ensuremath{\alpha},\ensuremath{\Delta})$ is continuous for $\ensuremath{\Delta}<{\ensuremath{\Delta}}_{B}=0.95\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.01$ on the degeneracy line ${\ensuremath{\alpha}}_{1}(\ensuremath{\Delta})$. The GS has staggered magnetization between ${\ensuremath{\Delta}}_{A}=0.72$ and ${\ensuremath{\Delta}}_{B}$ and a BOW for $\ensuremath{\Delta}<{\ensuremath{\Delta}}_{A}$. When both inversion and spin-parity are reversed at ${\ensuremath{\gamma}}_{m}$, the correlation functions $C(p)$ for spins separated by $p$ sites are identical. $C(p)$ minima are shifted by $\ensuremath{\pi}/2$ from the minima of VC order parameters at separation $p$, consistent with right- and left-handed helices along the $z$ axis and spins in the $xy$ plane. Degenerate GSs of finite chains are related to quantum phase diagrams of extended $\ensuremath{\alpha}$, $\ensuremath{\Delta}$ chains, with good agreement for order parameters along the line ${\ensuremath{\alpha}}_{1}(\ensuremath{\Delta})$. Degenerate GSs limit a VC phase to intermediate $\ensuremath{\alpha}$ and $\ensuremath{\Delta}$ where $S(\ensuremath{\alpha},\ensuremath{\Delta})$ varies rapidly but continuously, in contrast to many-body treatments in which VC phases extend over a larger range of parameters.