Physical review. B./Physical review. B

Antiferromagnetism, spin liquid, and plaquette singlet phases in the Shastry-Sutherland model: A variational cluster approximation approach

Jean Paul Latyr Faye, Oumar Ndiaye, David Sénéchal

Published Jul 22, 2026• 0 citations

Abstract

We study the half-filled single-band Hubbard model on the Shastry-Sutherland lattice with nearest-neighbor hopping t , incorporating (i) a frustrating diagonal hopping t ′ to probe the emergence of spin-liquid behavior, and (ii) an additional Heisenberg exchange J that explicitly stabilizes plaquette-singlet correlations. Using the variational cluster approximation (VCA) with exact diagonalization at zero temperature on an eight-site cluster, we map the phase diagrams in the ( U / t , t ′ / t ) and ( U / t , J / t ) parameter planes. In the ( U / t , t ′ / t ) plane, our analysis uncovers a competition between Néel antiferromagnetic (AFM) order with staggered magnetization and a nonmagnetic regime lacking conventional order, consistent with a nonmagnetic insulating phase that may be related to the spin-liquid-like regimes reported in previous studies. In contrast, the ( U / t , J / t ) phase diagram exhibits a competition between the Néel antiferromagnet and a solid valence-bonding valence bond plaquette (PS), where spins form localized singlet plaquettes. Most notably, we observe that the transition from the PS phase to the Néel AFM phase is a first-order phase transition, with a discontinuous jump of the order parameters at the phase boundary, in quantitative agreement with high-pressure heat-capacity measurements on SrCu 2 ( BO 3 ) 2 [J. Guo , ]. Thus, our VCA analysis underscores the subtle interplay of geometric frustration, quantum fluctuations, and dimensionality, and elucidates the crucial role of short-range correlations in stabilizing and competing ground states of frustrated quantum magnets.

DOI: 10.1103/fmrx-4pxw

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Antiferromagnetism, Spin Liquid, and Plaquette Singlet Phases in the Shastry–Sutherland Model: A Variational Cluster Approximation Approach

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Physical review. B./Physical review. B

Antiferromagnetism, spin liquid, and plaquette singlet phases in the Shastry-Sutherland model: A variational cluster approximation approach

Jean Paul Latyr Faye, Oumar Ndiaye, David Sénéchal

Published Jul 22, 2026• 0 citations

Publisher

Abstract

DOI: 10.1103/fmrx-4pxw

Related papers

Antiferromagnetism, Spin Liquid, and Plaquette Singlet Phases in the Shastry–Sutherland Model: A Variational Cluster Approximation Approach

Jean Paul Latyr Faye

We study the half-filled single-band Hubbard model on the Shastry–Sutherland lattice with nearest-neighbor hopping $t$ , incorporating (i) a frustrating diagonal hopping $t'$ to probe the emergence of spin-liquid behavior, and (ii) an additional Heisenberg exchange $J$ that explicitly stabilizes plaquette-singlet correlations. Using the variational cluster approximation (VCA) with exact diagonalization at zero temperature on an eight-site cluster, we map the phase diagrams in the $(U/t,t'/t)$ and $(U/t,J/t)$ parameter planes. In the $(U/t,t'/t)$ plane, our analysis uncovers a competition between N\'eel antiferromagnetic (AFM) order with staggered magnetization and a nonmagnetic regime lacking conventional order, consistent with an algebraic spin-liquid (ASL) phase characterized by a gapped excitation spectrum and vanishing staggered magnetization. In contrast, the $(U/t,J/t)$ phase diagram exhibits a competition between the N\'eel AFM and a solid valence-bonding valence bond plaquette (PS), where spins form localized singlet plaquettes. Most notably, we observe that the transition from the PS phase to the N\'eel AFM is a first-order phase transition, with a discontinuous jump of the order parameters at the phase boundary, in quantitative agreement with high-pressure heat-capacity measurements on SrCu $_2$ (BO $_3$ ) $_2$ [Guo \emph{et al.}, Commun. Phys. 8, 75 (2025)]. Thus, our VCA analysis underscores the subtle interplay of geometric frustration, quantum fluctuations, and dimensionality, and elucidates the crucial role of short-range correlations in stabilizing and competing ground states of frustrated quantum magnets.We study the half-filled single-band Hubbard model on the Shastry–Sutherland lattice with nearest-neighbor hopping $t$, incorporating (i) a frustrating diagonal hopping $t'$ to probe the emergence of spin-liquid behavior, and (ii) an additional Heisenberg exchange $J$ that explicitly stabilizes plaquette-singlet correlations. Using the variational cluster approximation (VCA) with exact diagonalization at zero temperature on an eight-site cluster, we map the phase diagrams in the $(U/t,t'/t)$ and $(U/t,J/t)$ parameter planes. In the $(U/t,t'/t)$ plane, our analysis uncovers a competition between N\'eel antiferromagnetic (AFM) order with staggered magnetization and a nonmagnetic regime lacking conventional order, consistent with an algebraic spin-liquid (ASL) phase characterized by a gapped excitation spectrum and vanishing staggered magnetization. In contrast, the $(U/t,J/t)$ phase diagram exhibits a competition between the N\'eel AFM and a solid valence-bonding valence bond plaquette (PS), where spins form localized singlet plaquettes. Most notably, we observe that the transition from the PS phase to the N\'eel AFM is a first-order phase transition, with a discontinuous jump of the order parameters at the phase boundary, in quantitative agreement with high-pressure heat-capacity measurements on SrCu$_2$(BO$_3$)$_2$ [Guo \emph{et al.}, Commun. Phys. 8, 75 (2025)]. Thus, our VCA analysis underscores the subtle interplay of geometric frustration, quantum fluctuations, and dimensionality, and elucidates the crucial role of short-range correlations in stabilizing and competing ground states of frustrated quantum magnets.

Jan 1, 20260 citations

On the precise boundary of the Néel antiferromagnetic phase in the Shastry-Sutherland model

Rongyi Lv, Xiangjian Qian, Mingpu Qin

The ground state phase diagram of the Shastry-Sutherland model remains controversial. In particular, the nature of the transition between the plaquette valence bond solid (PVBS) phase and the Néel antiferromagnetic (AFM) phase is still under debate. While some studies suggest a direct transition between the two phases, others propose the existence of a narrow intermediate quantum spin liquid regime. To address this issue, we perform large-scale Density Matrix Renormalization Group calculations to determine the Néel AFM phase boundary in the Shastry-Sutherland model. By applying staggered boundary pinning fields and directly measuring the bulk staggered magnetization, and through systematic extrapolations with respect to truncation error as well as careful finite-size scaling, we find that the staggered magnetization remains finite across the controversial region $0.78 \lesssim J_{1}/J_{2} \leq 0.81$ , which was suggested to host a quantum spin liquid phase in some studies. Together with the previously established consensus placing the PVBS phase boundary at $J_{1}/J_{2} \approx 0.78$ , these results provide evidence against the existence of an intermediate quantum spin liquid phase and support a direct PVBS--Néel AFM transition in the Shastry-Sutherland model.The ground state phase diagram of the Shastry-Sutherland model remains controversial. In particular, the nature of the transition between the plaquette valence bond solid (PVBS) phase and the Néel antiferromagnetic (AFM) phase is still under debate. While some studies suggest a direct transition between the two phases, others propose the existence of a narrow intermediate quantum spin liquid regime. To address this issue, we perform large-scale Density Matrix Renormalization Group calculations to determine the Néel AFM phase boundary in the Shastry-Sutherland model. By applying staggered boundary pinning fields and directly measuring the bulk staggered magnetization, and through systematic extrapolations with respect to truncation error as well as careful finite-size scaling, we find that the staggered magnetization remains finite across the controversial region $0.78 \lesssim J_{1}/J_{2} \leq 0.81$, which was suggested to host a quantum spin liquid phase in some studies. Together with the previously established consensus placing the PVBS phase boundary at $J_{1}/J_{2} \approx 0.78$, these results provide evidence against the existence of an intermediate quantum spin liquid phase and support a direct PVBS--Néel AFM transition in the Shastry-Sutherland model.

arXiv:2609.22907Sep 19, 20260 citations

Antiferromagnetic Metal and Mott Transition on Shastry-Sutherland Lattice

Haidi Liu, Yao‐Hua Chen, Heng-Fu Lin +2 more

The Shastry-Sutherland lattice, one of the simplest systems with geometrical frustration, which has an exact eigenstate by putting singlets on diagonal bonds, can be realized in a group of layered compounds and raises both theoretical and experimental interest. Most of the previous studies on the Shastry-Sutherland lattice are focusing on the Heisenberg model. Here we opt for the Hubbard model to calculate phase diagrams over a wide range of interaction parameters, and show the competing effects of interaction, frustration and temperature. At low temperature, frustration is shown to favor a paramagnetic metallic ground state, while interaction drives the system to an antiferromagnetic insulator phase. Between these two phases, there are an antiferromagnetic metal phase and a paramagnetic insulator phase (which should consist of a small plaquette phase and a dimer phase) resulting from the competition of the frustration and the interaction. Our results may shed light on more exhaustive studies about quantum phase transitions in geometrically frustrated systems.The Shastry-Sutherland lattice, one of the simplest systems with geometrical frustration, which has an exact eigenstate by putting singlets on diagonal bonds, can be realized in a group of layered compounds and raises both theoretical and experimental interest. Most of the previous studies on the Shastry-Sutherland lattice are focusing on the Heisenberg model. Here we opt for the Hubbard model to calculate phase diagrams over a wide range of interaction parameters, and show the competing effects of interaction, frustration and temperature. At low temperature, frustration is shown to favor a paramagnetic metallic ground state, while interaction drives the system to an antiferromagnetic insulator phase. Between these two phases, there are an antiferromagnetic metal phase and a paramagnetic insulator phase (which should consist of a small plaquette phase and a dimer phase) resulting from the competition of the frustration and the interaction. Our results may shed light on more exhaustive studies about quantum phase transitions in geometrically frustrated systems.

arXiv:1401.4075Scientific ReportsApr 29, 201417 citations

Phase diagram of a frustrated quantum antiferromagnet on the honeycomb lattice: Magnetic order versus valence-bond crystal formation

A. Fabricio Albuquerque, David R. Schwandt, Balázs Hetényi +3 more

We present a comprehensive computational study of the phase diagram of the frustrated $S=1/2$ Heisenberg antiferromagnet on the honeycomb lattice, with second-nearest $({J}_{2})$ and third-neighbor $({J}_{3})$ couplings. Using a combination of exact diagonalizations (EDs) of the original spin model, of the Hamiltonian projected into the nearest-neighbor short-range valence-bond basis, and of an effective quantum dimer model, as well as a self-consistent cluster mean-field theory, we determine the boundaries of several magnetically ordered phases in the region ${J}_{2},{J}_{3}\ensuremath{\in}[0,1]$, and find a sizable magnetically disordered region in between. We characterize part of this magnetically disordered phase as a plaquette valence-bond crystal phase. At larger ${J}_{2}$ , we locate a sizable region in which staggered valence-bond crystal correlations are found to be important, either due to genuine valence-bond crystal (VBC) ordering or as a consequence of magnetically ordered phases, which break lattice rotational symmetry. Furthermore, we find that a particular parameter-free Gutzwiller projected tight-binding wave function has remarkably accurate energies compared to finite-size extrapolated ED energies along the transition line from conventional N\'eel to plaquette VBC phases, a fact that points to possibly interesting critical behavior---such as a deconfined critical point---across this transition. We also comment on the relevance of this spin model to model the spin liquid region found in the half filled Hubbard model on the honeycomb lattice.We present a comprehensive computational study of the phase diagram of the frustrated $S=1/2$ Heisenberg antiferromagnet on the honeycomb lattice, with second-nearest $({J}_{2})$ and third-neighbor $({J}_{3})$ couplings. Using a combination of exact diagonalizations (EDs) of the original spin model, of the Hamiltonian projected into the nearest-neighbor short-range valence-bond basis, and of an effective quantum dimer model, as well as a self-consistent cluster mean-field theory, we determine the boundaries of several magnetically ordered phases in the region ${J}_{2},{J}_{3}\ensuremath{\in}[0,1]$, and find a sizable magnetically disordered region in between. We characterize part of this magnetically disordered phase as a plaquette valence-bond crystal phase. At larger ${J}_{2}$, we locate a sizable region in which staggered valence-bond crystal correlations are found to be important, either due to genuine valence-bond crystal (VBC) ordering or as a consequence of magnetically ordered phases, which break lattice rotational symmetry. Furthermore, we find that a particular parameter-free Gutzwiller projected tight-binding wave function has remarkably accurate energies compared to finite-size extrapolated ED energies along the transition line from conventional N\'eel to plaquette VBC phases, a fact that points to possibly interesting critical behavior---such as a deconfined critical point---across this transition. We also comment on the relevance of this spin model to model the spin liquid region found in the half filled Hubbard model on the honeycomb lattice.

arXiv:1102.5325Physical Review BJul 6, 2011204 citations

Identifying the ground state phases by spin-patterns in the Shastry-Sutherland model

Yun-Tong Yang, Fuzhou Chen, Hong‐Gang Luo

Exploring the influence of frustration on the phases and related phase transitions in condensed matter physics is of fundamental importance in uncovering the role played by frustration. In the two-dimensional square lattice, a minimal frustration has been formulated in 1981 as the Shastry-Sutherland (SS) model described by competitions between the nearest-neighbor bond ( $J_1$ ) and the next-nearest-neighbor one ( $J_2$ ). In the two limits of $α=J_2/J_1$ , i.e. $α\ll 1$ and $α\gg 1$ , the corresponding phases are the N{é}el antiferromagnet (AFM) and the dimer-singlet(DS). Unfortunately, the intermediate regime remains controversial, and the nature of transition from the N{é}el AFM to the intermediate state is also unclear. Here we provide a pattern language to explore the SS model and take the lattice size $L=4 \times4$ with periodic boundary condition. We firstly diagonalize the Hamiltonian in an operator space to obtain all fundamental spin-patterns and then analyze their energy and occupancy evolutions with the frustration parameter $κ=α/ (1+α)$ . Our results indicate that the intermediate regime is characterized by diagonal two-domain spin-pattern while the N{é}el AFM state has a diagonal single-domain and the DS has mixings of diagonal single- and four-domain. While the transition from the DS to the intermediate phase occurred around $α_c = 1.5$ is the first-order in nature, consistent with that in literature, the one from the intermediate phase to the AFM is clearly seen around $α_c = 1.277$ , where it has a reversal of the contributions from the single- and two-domain patterns to the ground state. The result indicates that the pattern language is powerful in identifying the possible phases in frustrated models.Exploring the influence of frustration on the phases and related phase transitions in condensed matter physics is of fundamental importance in uncovering the role played by frustration. In the two-dimensional square lattice, a minimal frustration has been formulated in 1981 as the Shastry-Sutherland (SS) model described by competitions between the nearest-neighbor bond ($J_1$) and the next-nearest-neighbor one ($J_2$). In the two limits of $α=J_2/J_1$, i.e. $α\ll 1$ and $α\gg 1$, the corresponding phases are the N{é}el antiferromagnet (AFM) and the dimer-singlet(DS). Unfortunately, the intermediate regime remains controversial, and the nature of transition from the N{é}el AFM to the intermediate state is also unclear. Here we provide a pattern language to explore the SS model and take the lattice size $L=4 \times4$ with periodic boundary condition. We firstly diagonalize the Hamiltonian in an operator space to obtain all fundamental spin-patterns and then analyze their energy and occupancy evolutions with the frustration parameter $κ=α/ (1+α)$. Our results indicate that the intermediate regime is characterized by diagonal two-domain spin-pattern while the N{é}el AFM state has a diagonal single-domain and the DS has mixings of diagonal single- and four-domain. While the transition from the DS to the intermediate phase occurred around $α_c = 1.5$ is the first-order in nature, consistent with that in literature, the one from the intermediate phase to the AFM is clearly seen around $α_c = 1.277$, where it has a reversal of the contributions from the single- and two-domain patterns to the ground state. The result indicates that the pattern language is powerful in identifying the possible phases in frustrated models.

arXiv:2404.16330Apr 25, 20240 citations

Rise and fall of plaquette order in Shastry-Sutherland magnet revealed by high-resolution functional renormalization group

Ahmet Keleş, Erhai Zhao

The Shastry-Sutherland model as a canonical example of frustrated magnetism has been extensively studied. The conventional wisdom has been that the transition from the plaquette valence bond order to the Neel order is direct and potentially realizes a deconfined quantum critical point beyond the Ginzburg-Landau paradigm. This scenario however was challenged recently by improved numerics from density matrix renormalization group which offers evidence for a narrow gapless spin liquid between the two phases. Prompted by this controversy and to shed light on this intricate parameter regime from a fresh perspective, we report high-resolution functional renormalization group analysis of the generalized Shastry-Sutherland model. The flows of over 50 million running couplings provide a detailed picture for the evolution of spin correlations as the frequency/energy scale is dialed from the ultraviolet to the infrared to yield the zero temperature phase diagram. The singlet dimer phase emerges as a fixed point, the Neel order is characterized by divergence in the vertex function, while the transition into and out of the plaquette order is accompanied by pronounced peaks in the plaquette susceptibility. The plaquette order is suppressed before the onset of the Neel order, lending evidence for a finite spin liquid region for $J_1/J_2\in (0.77,0.82)$ , where the flow is continuous without any indication of divergence.The Shastry-Sutherland model as a canonical example of frustrated magnetism has been extensively studied. The conventional wisdom has been that the transition from the plaquette valence bond order to the Neel order is direct and potentially realizes a deconfined quantum critical point beyond the Ginzburg-Landau paradigm. This scenario however was challenged recently by improved numerics from density matrix renormalization group which offers evidence for a narrow gapless spin liquid between the two phases. Prompted by this controversy and to shed light on this intricate parameter regime from a fresh perspective, we report high-resolution functional renormalization group analysis of the generalized Shastry-Sutherland model. The flows of over 50 million running couplings provide a detailed picture for the evolution of spin correlations as the frequency/energy scale is dialed from the ultraviolet to the infrared to yield the zero temperature phase diagram. The singlet dimer phase emerges as a fixed point, the Neel order is characterized by divergence in the vertex function, while the transition into and out of the plaquette order is accompanied by pronounced peaks in the plaquette susceptibility. The plaquette order is suppressed before the onset of the Neel order, lending evidence for a finite spin liquid region for $J_1/J_2\in (0.77,0.82)$, where the flow is continuous without any indication of divergence.

Nov 4, 20213 citations

We study the half-filled single-band Hubbard model on the Shastry–Sutherland lattice with nearest-neighbor hopping

t

, incorporating (i) a frustrating diagonal hopping

t'

to probe the emergence of spin-liquid behavior, and (ii) an additional Heisenberg exchange

J

that explicitly stabilizes plaquette-singlet correlations. Using the variational cluster approximation (VCA) with exact diagonalization at zero temperature on an eight-site cluster, we map the phase diagrams in the

(U/t,t'/t)

and

(U/t,J/t)

parameter planes. In the

(U/t,t'/t)

plane, our analysis uncovers a competition between N\'eel antiferromagnetic (AFM) order with staggered magnetization and a nonmagnetic regime lacking conventional order, consistent with an algebraic spin-liquid (ASL) phase characterized by a gapped excitation spectrum and vanishing staggered magnetization. In contrast, the

(U/t,J/t)

phase diagram exhibits a competition between the N\'eel AFM and a solid valence-bonding valence bond plaquette (PS), where spins form localized singlet plaquettes. Most notably, we observe that the transition from the PS phase to the N\'eel AFM is a first-order phase transition, with a discontinuous jump of the order parameters at the phase boundary, in quantitative agreement with high-pressure heat-capacity measurements on SrCu

_2

(BO

_3

)

_2

[Guo \emph{et al.}, Commun. Phys. 8, 75 (2025)]. Thus, our VCA analysis underscores the subtle interplay of geometric frustration, quantum fluctuations, and dimensionality, and elucidates the crucial role of short-range correlations in stabilizing and competing ground states of frustrated quantum magnets.

0.78 \lesssim J_{1}/J_{2} \leq 0.81

, which was suggested to host a quantum spin liquid phase in some studies. Together with the previously established consensus placing the PVBS phase boundary at

J_{1}/J_{2} \approx 0.78

, these results provide evidence against the existence of an intermediate quantum spin liquid phase and support a direct PVBS--Néel AFM transition in the Shastry-Sutherland model.

We present a comprehensive computational study of the phase diagram of the frustrated

S=1/2

Heisenberg antiferromagnet on the honeycomb lattice, with second-nearest

({J}_{2})

and third-neighbor

({J}_{3})

couplings. Using a combination of exact diagonalizations (EDs) of the original spin model, of the Hamiltonian projected into the nearest-neighbor short-range valence-bond basis, and of an effective quantum dimer model, as well as a self-consistent cluster mean-field theory, we determine the boundaries of several magnetically ordered phases in the region ${J}_{2},{J}_{3}\ensuremath{\in}[0,1]$, and find a sizable magnetically disordered region in between. We characterize part of this magnetically disordered phase as a plaquette valence-bond crystal phase. At larger

{J}_{2}

, we locate a sizable region in which staggered valence-bond crystal correlations are found to be important, either due to genuine valence-bond crystal (VBC) ordering or as a consequence of magnetically ordered phases, which break lattice rotational symmetry. Furthermore, we find that a particular parameter-free Gutzwiller projected tight-binding wave function has remarkably accurate energies compared to finite-size extrapolated ED energies along the transition line from conventional N\'eel to plaquette VBC phases, a fact that points to possibly interesting critical behavior---such as a deconfined critical point---across this transition. We also comment on the relevance of this spin model to model the spin liquid region found in the half filled Hubbard model on the honeycomb lattice.

J_1

) and the next-nearest-neighbor one (

J_2

). In the two limits of

α=J_2/J_1

, i.e.

α\ll 1

and

α\gg 1

, the corresponding phases are the N{é}el antiferromagnet (AFM) and the dimer-singlet(DS). Unfortunately, the intermediate regime remains controversial, and the nature of transition from the N{é}el AFM to the intermediate state is also unclear. Here we provide a pattern language to explore the SS model and take the lattice size

L=4 \times4

with periodic boundary condition. We firstly diagonalize the Hamiltonian in an operator space to obtain all fundamental spin-patterns and then analyze their energy and occupancy evolutions with the frustration parameter

κ=α/ (1+α)

. Our results indicate that the intermediate regime is characterized by diagonal two-domain spin-pattern while the N{é}el AFM state has a diagonal single-domain and the DS has mixings of diagonal single- and four-domain. While the transition from the DS to the intermediate phase occurred around

α_c = 1.5

is the first-order in nature, consistent with that in literature, the one from the intermediate phase to the AFM is clearly seen around

α_c = 1.277

, where it has a reversal of the contributions from the single- and two-domain patterns to the ground state. The result indicates that the pattern language is powerful in identifying the possible phases in frustrated models.

J_1/J_2\in (0.77,0.82)

, where the flow is continuous without any indication of divergence.