The ground state and low-lying excited states of a one-dimensional Heisenberg model with axial anisotropy are studied by extrapolation from finite lattices. The ground-state properties and the phase diagram are determined for quantum spins, especially for
S=21,1,and23. Higher spin values do not give new features in the phase diagram. the limitations of finite-lattice extrapolation are discussed in connection with the possibility of a singlet phase for the
S=1 isotropic Heisenberg antiferromagnet.
Motivated by the discovery of spiral and modulated collinear phases in several magnetic materials, we investigate the magnetic properties of Heisenberg spin
S=1/2 antiferromagnets in two and three dimensions, with frustration arising from second-neighbor couplings in one axial direction [the axial next-nearest-neighbor Heisenberg (ANNNH) model]. Our results clearly demonstrate the presence of an incommensurate spiral phase at
T=0 in two dimensions, extending to finite temperatures in three dimensions. The crossover between N\'eel and spiral order occurs at a value of the frustration parameter considerably above the classical value 0.25, a sign of substantial quantum fluctuations. We also investigate a possible modulated collinear phase with a wavelength of four lattice spacings and find that it has substantially higher energy and hence is not realized in the model.