The magnetic and thermodynamic properties of spin-
1∕2 Heisenberg diamond chains are investigated in three different cases: (a)
J1,
J2,
J3>0 (frustrated), (b)
J1,
J3<0,
J2>0 (frustrated), and (c)
J1,
J2>0,
J3<0 (nonfrustrated), where the bond coupling
Ji (i=1,2,3)>0 stands for an antiferromagnetic (AF) interaction, and
<0 for a ferromagnetic (F) interaction. The density-matrix renormalization-group (DMRG) technique is invoked to study the properties of the system in the ground state, while the transfer-matrix renormalization-group (TMRG) technique is applied to explore the thermodynamic properties. The local magnetic moments, spin-correlation functions, and static structure factors are discussed in the ground state for the three cases. It is shown that the static structure factor
S(q) shows peaks at wave vectors $q=a\ensuremath{\pi}∕3$
(a=0,1,2,3,4,5) for different couplings in a zero magnetic field, which, however, in the magnetic fields where the magnetization plateau with
m=1∕6 pertains, exhibits the peaks only at
q=0, $2\ensuremath{\pi}∕3$, and $4\ensuremath{\pi}∕3$, which are found to be couplings independent. The DMRG results of the zero-field static structure factor can be nicely fitted by a linear superposition of six modes, where two fitting equations are proposed. It is observed that the six modes are closely related to the low-lying excitations of the system. At finite temperatures, the magnetization, susceptibility, and specific heat show various behaviors for different couplings. The double-peak structures of the susceptibility, and specific heat against temperature are obtained, where the peak positions and heights are found to depend on the competition of the couplings. It is also uncovered that the
XXZ anisotropy of F and AF couplings leads the system of case (c) to display quite different behaviors. In addition, the experimental data of the susceptibility, specific heat, and magnetization for the compound
Cu3(CO3)2(OH)2 are fairly compared with our TMRG results.
We study the zero-temperature magnetization process $(M\ensuremath{-}H$ curve) of one-dimensional quantum antiferromagnets using a variant of the density-matrix renormalization group method. For both the
S=1/2 zig-zag spin ladder and the
S=1 bilinear-biquadratic chain, we find clear cusp-type singularities in the middle-field region of the $M\ensuremath{-}H$ curve. These singularities are successfully explained in terms of the double-minimum shape of the energy dispersion of the low-lying excitations. For the
S=1/2 zig-zag spin ladder, we find that the cusp formation accompanies the Fermi-liquid to non-Fermi-liquid transition.
The magnetization process, the susceptibility, and the specific heat of the spin-
1∕2 antiferromagnet (AF)-AF-ferromagnet (F) and F-F-AF trimerized quantum Heisenberg chains have been investigated by means of the transfer matrix renormalization group (TMRG) technique as well as the modified spin-wave (MSW) theory. A magnetization plateau at
m=1∕6 for both trimerized chains is observed at low temperature. The susceptibility and the specific heat show various behaviors for different ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic interactions and in different magnetic fields. The TMRG results of susceptibility and the specific heat can be nicely fitted by a linear superposition of double two-level systems, where two fitting equations are proposed. Three branch excitations, one gapless excitation and two gapful excitations, for both systems are found within the MSW theory. It is observed that the MSW theory captures the main characteristics of the thermodynamic behaviors at low temperatures. The TMRG results are also compared with the possible experimental data.
The thermodynamic properties of a spin
S=1/2 tetrameric Heisenberg antiferromagnetic chain with alternating interactions
AF1-AF2-AF1-F (AF and F denote the antiferromagnetic and ferromagnetic couplings, respectively) are studied by means of the transfer-matrix renormalization-group method and Jordan-Wigner transformation. It is found that in the absence of magnetic field, the thermodynamic behaviors are closely related to the gapped low-lying excitations, and a novel structure with three peaks in the temperature dependence of specific heat is unveiled. In a magnetic field, a phase diagram in the temperature-field plane for the couplings satisfying
JAF1=JAF2=JF is obtained, in which various phases are identified. The temperature dependence of thermodynamic quantities including the magnetization, susceptibility, and specific heat are studied to characterize the corresponding phases. It is disclosed that the magnetization has a crossover behavior at low temperature in the Luttinger liquid phase, which is shown falling into the same class as that in the
S=1 Haldane chain. In the plateau regime, the thermodynamic behaviors alter at a certain field, which results from the crossing of two excitation spectra. By means of the fermion mapping, it is uncovered that the system has four spectra from fermion and hole excitations that are responsible for the observed thermodynamic behaviors.
Thermodynamic properties of the quantum Heisenberg spin chains with
S=1/2, 1, and
3/2 are investigated using the transfer-matrix renormalization-group method. The temperature dependence of the magnetization, susceptibility, specific heat, spin-spin correlation length, and several other physical quantities in a zero or finite applied field are calculated and compared. Our data agree well with the Bethe ansatz, exact diagonalization, and quantum Monte Carlo results and provide further insight into the quantum effects in the antiferromagnetic Heisenberg spin chains.