Using both exact diagonalizations and diagonalizations in a subset of short-range valence-bond singlets, we address the nature of the groundstate of the Heisenberg spin-
1∕2 antiferromagnet on the square lattice with competing next-nearest and next-next-nearest neighbor antiferromagnetic couplings (${J}_{1}\ensuremath{-}{J}_{2}\ensuremath{-}{J}_{3}$ model). A detailed comparison of the two approaches reveals a region along the line
(J2+J3)∕J1=1∕2, where the description in terms of nearest-neighbor singlet coverings is excellent, therefore providing evidence for a magnetically disordered region. Furthermore, a careful analysis of dimer-dimer correlation functions, dimer structure factors and plaquette-plaquette correlation functions provides striking evidence for the presence of a plaquette valence bond crystal order in part of the magnetically disordered region.
We examine the ground-state phase diagram and thermal phase transitions in a plaquettized fully frustrated bilayer spin-1/2 Heisenberg model. Based on a combined analysis from sign-problem free quantum Monte Carlo simulations, perturbation theory, and free-energy arguments, we identify a first-order quantum phase transition line that separates two competing quantum-disordered ground states with dominant singlet formations on interlayer dimers and plaquettes, respectively. At finite temperatures, this line extends to form a wall of first-order thermal transitions, which terminates in a line of thermal critical points. From a perturbative approach in terms of an effective Ising model description, we identify a quadratic suppression of the critical temperature scale in the strongly plaquettized region. Based on free-energy arguments we furthermore obtain the full phase boundary of the low-temperature dimer-singlet regime, which agrees well with the quantum Monte Carlo data.