We explore the R\'enyi entanglement entropies of a one-dimensional (line) subsystem of length
L embedded in a two-dimensional $L\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}L$ square lattice for quantum spin models whose ground state breaks a continuous symmetry in the thermodynamic limit. We first study the ${J}_{1}\text{\ensuremath{-}}{J}_{2}$ Heisenberg model (with antiferromagnetic nearest-neighbor
J1>0 and ferromagnetic second-neighbor couplings ${J}_{2}\ensuremath{\le}0)$, breaking SU(2) symmetry in the ground state, using quantum Monte Carlo simulations. The signature of SU(2)-symmetry breaking on finite-size systems, ranging from
L=4 up to
L=40, clearly appears as a universal additive logarithmic correction to the R\'enyi entanglement entropies:
lqlnL with ${l}_{q}\ensuremath{\simeq}1$, independent of the R\'enyi index and values of
J2. We then confirm this result using a spin-wave analysis (with restored spin rotational symmetry) on the same ${J}_{1}\text{\ensuremath{-}}{J}_{2}$ model, as well as on the XY model, with a
U(1) broken symmetry in the ground state. The high-precision spin-wave calculations are performed on finite lattices up to ${10}^{5}\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{5}$ sites, allowing us to explore further nonuniversal finite-size corrections. Our results fully agree with the prediction
lq=nG/2, where
nG is the number of Goldstone modes, by Metlitski and Grover (arXiv:1112.5166).
We propose a mechanism of a vector chiral long-range order in two-leg spin-
21 and spin-1 antiferromagnetic ladders with four-spin exchanges and a Zeeman term. It is known that for one-dimensional quantum systems, spontaneous breakdown of continuous symmetries is generally forbidden. Any vector chiral order hence does not appear in spin-rotationally [SU(2)]-symmetric spin ladders. However, if a magnetic field is added along the
Sz axis of ladders and the SU(2) symmetry is reduced to the U(1) one, the
z component of a vector chiral order can emerge with the remaining U(1) symmetry unbroken. Making use of Abelian bosonization techniques, we actually show that a certain type of four-spin exchange can yield a vector chiral long-range order in spin-
21 and spin-1 ladders under a magnetic field. In the chiral-ordered phase, the
Z2 interchain-parity (i.e., chain-exchange) symmetry is spontaneously broken. We also consider effects of perturbations breaking the parity symmetry.
We study the phase diagram of a one-dimensional version of the Kitaev spin-1/2 model with an extra "Γ term," using analytical, density matrix renormalization group and exact diagonalization methods. Two intriguing phases are found. In the gapless phase, although the exact symmetry group of the system is discrete, the low energy theory is described by an emergent SU(2)_{1} Wess-Zumino-Witten (WZW) model. On the other hand, the spin-spin correlation functions exhibit SU(2) breaking prefactors, even though the exponents and the logarithmic corrections are consistent with the SU(2)_{1} predictions. A modified non-Abelian bosonization formula is proposed to capture such exotic emergent "partial" SU(2) symmetry. In the ordered phase, there is numerical evidence for an O_{h}→D_{4} spontaneous symmetry breaking.