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arXiv:2603.08650 · Physical review. B./Physical review. B

Revisiting the J 1 − J 2 Heisenberg model on a triangular lattice: Quasidegenerate ground states and phase competition

Oleksandra I. Kovalska, Ester Pagès Fontanella, Benedikt Schneider, Hong-Hao Tu, Jan von Delft

Published Aug 28, 2026• 0 citations
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Abstract

It is generally believed that the spin- 1 2 triangular-lattice J 1 − J 2 Heisenberg model hosts a quantum spin liquid in the intermediate regime between the 120 ∘ and stripe ordered phases. Density matrix renormalization group studies on cylinders have consistently found two nearly degenerate ground states, commonly interpreted as distinct topological sectors. Using state-of-the-art matrix product state simulations on YC6 cylinders, we compare the static and dynamical properties of these two sectors at J 2 / J 1 = 0.125 . Noticeable differences appear already in static correlations; moreover, high-resolution dynamical structure factors reveal qualitatively distinct low-energy excitations. These results suggest that the two ground states cannot be understood as merely topologically distinct sectors of a gapped Z 2 spin liquid.

DOI
10.1103/cljk-jcq3

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It is generally believed that the spin- 1 2 triangular-lattice J 1 − J 2 Heisenberg model hosts a quantum spin liquid in the intermediate regime between the 120 ∘ and stripe ordered phases. Density matrix renormalization group studies on cylinders have consistently found two nearly degenerate ground states, commonly interpreted as distinct topological sectors. Using state-of-the-art matrix product state simulations on YC6 cylinders, we compare the static and dynamical properties of these two sectors at J 2 / J 1 = 0.125 . Noticeable differences appear already in static correlations; moreover, high-resolution dynamical structure factors reveal qualitatively distinct low-energy excitations. These results suggest that the two ground states cannot be understood as merely topologically distinct sectors of a gapped Z 2 spin liquid.
Previous studies of the S=1/2 triangular-lattice J_{1}-J_{2} Heisenberg antiferromagnet have inferred the existence of a nonmagnetic ground-state phase for an intermediate range of J_{2}, but disagree concerning whether it is a gapped Z_{2} quantum spin liquid (QSL), a gapless (Dirac) QSL, or a weakly symmetry-broken phase. Using an improved dynamical density-matrix renormalization group method, we investigate the relevant intermediate J_{2} regime for cylinders with circumferences from 6 to 9. Depending on the initial state and boundary conditions, we find two distinct variational states. The higher energy state is consistent with a Dirac QSL. In the lower-energy state, both the static and dynamical properties are qualitatively similar to the magnetically ordered state at J_{2}=0, suggestive of either a weakly magnetically ordered non-QSL or a gapped QSL proximate to a continuous transition to such an ordered state.
We study the spin-12\frac{1}{2}21​ Heisenberg model on the triangular lattice with antiferromagnetic first- (J1)({J}_{1})(J1​) and second- (J2)({J}_{2})(J2​) nearest-neighbor interactions using density matrix renormalization group. By studying the spin correlation function, we find a ${120}^{\ensuremath{\circ}}$ magnetic order phase for ${J}_{2}\ensuremath{\lesssim}0.07{J}_{1}$ and a stripe antiferromagnetic phase for ${J}_{2}\ensuremath{\gtrsim}0.15{J}_{1}$. Between these two phases, we identify a spin-liquid region characterized by exponential decaying spin and dimer correlations, as well as 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 candidate in this region. While the sector with spinons is found to respect time reversal symmetry, the even sector without spinons 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 gapped Z2{Z}_{2}Z2​ spin liquids.
Topological Spin Liquid Phase in the Spin-1/21/21/2 Triangular Heisenberg Model
We study the spin-1/2 Heisenberg model on the triangular lattice with the antiferromagnetic first (J1) and second nearest-neighbor (J2) interactions using density matrix renormalization group. By studying the spin correlation function, we find a 120◦ magnetic order phase for J2 . 0.08J1 and a stripe antiferromagnetic phase for J2 & 0.16J2. Between these two phases, we identify a gapped spin liquid phase characterized by the exponential decaying spin and dimer correlations, as well as finite spin singlet and triplet excitation gaps. We also find two topological degenerating ground states in two topological sectors. Furthermore, we detect the signature of the fractionalization by following the evolution of different ground states with inserting spin flux into the cylinder system. While the sector with spinon is found to respect the time reveral symmetry, the even sector without a spinon may break such a symmetry. We discuss the implications of numerical results for the nature of the topological spin liquid phase.
Using density-matrix renormalization-group calculations for infinite cylinders, we elucidate the properties of the spin-liquid phase of the spin-$\frac{1}{2}\phantom{\rule{4pt}{0ex}}{J}_{1}\text{\ensuremath{-}}{J}_{2}$ Heisenberg model on the triangular lattice. We find four distinct ground states characteristic of a nonchiral, Z2{Z}_{2}Z2​ 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 the 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 spinonlike edge excitations in the large-width limit.
We study the spin liquid state of the YC6 triangular lattice Heisenberg model (THM). A flux phase is attached to each site and is equivalent to twisted boundary conditions on the infinite cylinder system. The numerical investigation was done by utilizing the density matrix renormalization group (DMRG) method implemented via matrix product state (MPS) ansatz. In this study, we have obtained two different ground states corresponding to the different sectors of symmetry. Due to the finite circumference of the cylinder, these two states have slightly different energies. The existence of a finite correlation length throughout the entire twist angle range of the sector with the lower energy indicates that the system is gapped. However, due to the unconventional scaling of the correlation length in the other sector of symmetry, the gap remains inconclusive.
We perform highly accurate density matrix renormalization group (DMRG) simulations to investigate the ground-state properties of the spin-1/21/21/2 antiferromagnetic square lattice Heisenberg J1{J}_{1}J1​-J2{J}_{2}J2​ model. Based on studies of numerous long cylinders with circumferences of up to 14 lattice spacings, we obtain strong evidence for a topological quantum spin liquid state in the region $0.41\ensuremath{\le}{J}_{2}/{J}_{1}\ensuremath{\le}0.62$, separating conventional N\'eel and striped antiferromagnetic states for smaller and larger J2/J1{J}_{2}/{J}_{1}J2​/J1​, respectively. The quantum spin liquid is characterized numerically by the absence of magnetic or valence bond solid order, and nonzero singlet and triplet energy gaps. Furthermore, we positively identify its topological nature by measuring a nonzero topological entanglement entropy $\ensuremath{\gamma}=0.70\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.02$, extremely close to $\ensuremath{\gamma}=\mathrm{ln}(2)\ensuremath{\approx}0.69$ (expected for a Z2{Z}_{2}Z2​ quantum spin liquid) and a nontrivial finite size dimerization effect depending upon the parity of the circumference of the cylinder. We also point out that a valence bond solid, and indeed any discrete symmetry breaking state, would be expected to show a constant correction to the entanglement entropy of opposite sign to the topological entanglement entropy.