Two New Methods for Computing Finite Quantum Spin Systems

M. S. Makivić

Donald D. Betts, Sayuri Masui, N. Vats +1 more

The well-known finite-lattice method for the calculation of the properties of quantum spin systems on a two-dimensional lattice at zero temperature was introduced in 1978. The method has now been greatly improved for the square lattice by including finite lattices based on parallelogram tiles as well as the familiar finite lattices based on square tiles. Dozens of these new finite lattices have been tested and graded using the [Formula: see text] ferromagnet. In the process new and improved estimates have been obtained for the XY model's ground-state energy per spin, ε0 = −0.549 36(30) and spontaneous magnetization per spin, m = 0.4349(10). Other properties such as near-neighbour, zero-temperature spin–spin correlations, which appear not to have been calculated previously, have been estimated to high precision. Applications of the improved finite-lattice method to other models can readily be carried out.

V Ulyanov

Hidetsugu Kitatani, Takehiko Oguchi

A new method is presented which can deal with large finite quantum spin systems (which are so large that direct diagonalization is not possible) by calculating exactly Trotter formula for each finite Trotter number n , and extrapolating them to infinite n . This method is powerful for calculating spin systems which contain frustration. A simple example is also discussed.

Anders W. Sandvik

These lecture notes introduce quantum spin systems and several computational methods for studying their ground-state and finite-temperature properties. Symmetry-breaking and critical phenomena are first discussed in the simpler setting of Monte Carlo studies of classical spin systems, to illustrate finite-size scaling at continuous and first-order phase transitions. Exact diagonalization and quantum Monte Carlo (stochastic series expansion) algorithms and their computer implementations are then discussed in detail. Applications of the methods are illustrated by results for some of the most essential models in quantum magnetism, such as the S=1/2 Heisenberg antiferromagnet in one and two dimensions, as well as extended models useful for studying quantum phase transitions between antiferromagnetic and magnetically disordered states.

Ling Wang