Striped phase in a quantum XY model with ring exchange

We present quantum Monte Carlo results for a square-lattice S=1/2 XY model with a standard nearest-neighbor coupling J and a four-spin ring exchange term K. Increasing K/J, we find that the ground state spin stiffness vanishes at a critical point at which a spin gap opens and a striped bond-plaquette order emerges. At still higher K/J, this phase becomes unstable and the system develops a staggered magnetization. We discuss the quantum phase transitions between these phases.     

Contribution of the non-Heisenberg ring exchange to the magnetic mechanism of high-<Emphasis Type="Italic">T</Emphasis><Subscript>c</Subscript> superconductivity

The effect of non-Heisenberg four-spin ring exchange on the superconducting transition temperature in strongly correlated electron systems is studied. It is shown that the ring exchange can significantly suppress the contribution of the Heisenberg exchange to superconducting pairing.     

Scaling in the fan of an unconventional quantum critical point

We present results of extensive finite-temperature quantum Monte Carlo simulations on a SU(2) symmetric S=1/2 quantum antiferromagnet with four-spin interaction [A. W. Sandvik, Phys. Rev. Lett. 98, 227202 (2007)10.1103/PhysRevLett.98.227202]. Our simulations, which are free of the sign problem and carried out on lattices containing in excess of 1.6 x 10(4) spins, indicate that the four-spin interaction destroys the Néel order at an unconventional z = 1 quantum critical point, producing a valence-bond solid paramagnet. Our results are consistent with the "deconfined quantum criticality" scenario.     

Entanglement Entropy Signature of Quantum Phase Transitions in a Multiple Spin Interactions Model

Through the Jordan-Wigner transformation, the entanglement entropy and ground state phase diagrams of exactly solvable spin model with alternating and multiple spin exchange interactions are investigated by means of Green's function theory. In the absence of four-spin interactions, the ground state presents plentiful quantum phases due to the multiple spin interactions and magnetic fields. It is shown that the two-site entanglement entropy is a good indicator of quantum phase transition (QPT). In addition, the alternating interactions can destroy the magnetization plateau and wash out the spin-gap of low-lying excitations. However, in the presence of four-spin interactions, apart from the second order QPTs, the system manifests the first order QPT at the tricritical point and an additional new phase called ``spin waves', which is due to the collapse of the continuous tower-like low-lying excitations modulated by the four-spin interactions for large three-spin couplings.     

An Equivalence Between the BEG Model and an Ising Model with Cross and Four-Spin Interactions on Square Lattice

An equivalence is found between the BEG model and an Ising model with cross and four-spin interaction on square lattice under a well-known restriction e^K cosh J = 1.     

Classical one-dimensional Heisenberg magnet with biquadratic exchange interaction

The pair- and four-spin correlation functions and susceptibility have been calculated rigorously for a classical Heisenberg linear chain with biquadratic exchange interaction by extending Fisher's method.     

Numerical evidences of fractionalization in an easy-axis two-spin heisenberg antiferromagnet

Based on exact numerical calculations, we show that the generalized kagome spin model in the easy-axis limit exhibits a spin liquid, topologically degenerate ground state over a broad range of phase space, including a point at which the model is equivalent to a Heisenberg model with purely two-spin exchange interactions. We further present an explicit calculation of the gap (and dispersion) of "vison" excitations, and exponentially decaying spin and vison two-point correlators. These are hallmarks of deconfined, fractionalized, and gapped spinons. The nature of the phase transition from the spin-liquid state to a magnetic ordered state tuned by a negative four-spin "potential" term is also discussed in light of the low energy spectrum. These results greatly expand the range and the theoretical view of the spin-liquid phase in the vicinity of the Rokhsar and Kivelson exactly soluble point.     

Modulated spin structures due to the four-spin exchange interaction in some intermetallic compounds

The model consisting of the two-spin exchange interaction and the four-spin one is studied. The systematic change of the magnetic structures among MnS₂, MnSe₂ and MnTe₂ is shown to be well-explained by this model. The three types of magnetic structures of EuSe is also discussed.     

Doped coupled frustrated spin-1/2 chains with four-spin exchange

The role of various magnetic interchain couplings is investigated by numerical methods in doped frustrated quantum spin chains. A nonmagnetic dopant introduced in a gapped spin chain releases a free spin-1/2 soliton. The formation of a local magnetic moment is analyzed in terms of soliton confinement. A four-spin coupling which might originate from cyclic exchange is shown to produce such a confinement. Dopants on different chains experience an effective space-extended nonfrustrating pairwise spin interaction.     

Ground state of a spin system with two- and four-spin exchange interactions on the triangular lattice

We study a spin system with both two- and four-spin exchange interactions on the triangular lattice as a possible model for the nuclear magnetism of solid ³He layers adsorbed on grafoil. The ground state is analyzed by the use of the mean-field approximation. It is shown that the four-sublattice state is favored by introduction of the fourspin exchange interaction. A possible phase transition at a finite temperature into a phase with the scalar chirality is predicted. Application of a magnetic field is shown to cause a variety of phase transitions.     

Temperature-dependent fourth moment of the relaxation function for cubic Heisenberg paramagnets

Useful expressions, solely in terms of appropriate lattice Green functions, are derived for the fourth moment of the relaxation function of a Heisenberg paramagnet having cubic symmetry (s.c., b.c.c. and f.c.c.) and nearest-neighbour exchange interactions. As is customary, the temperature dependence was estimated on the basis of the spherical model and with a simple random-phase type decoupling of the four-spin correlation functions.     

Two-dimensional Ising model with crossing and four-spin interactions and a magnetic fieldi(π/2)kT

The Ising model on a checkerboard lattice with crossing and four-spin interactions is solved exactly when there is pure imaginary magnetic fieldH=i(/2)kT. The model exhibits a critical point with continuously varying exponents.     

Compressible Ising double chains

We obtain exact expressions for the free energy and the magnetic susceptibility in zero field of a compressible double Ising chain with first and second neighbour interactions. The chain is supposed to be made of rigid rods which move like dumbbells in an elastic harmonic potential. The exchange interactions along the direction of the chain are linear functions of the spacing between rods. The effective spin hamiltonian of the double chain involves short-range two and four-spin interactions. Due to the existence of compensation points, we obtain regions of peculiar thermodynamic properties in the pressure-temperature phase diagram.     

Chiral spin pairing in helical magnets

A concept of chiral spin pairing is introduced to describe a vector-chiral liquid-crystal order in frustrated spin systems. It is found that the chiral spin pairing is induced by the coupling to phonons through the Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction and the four-spin exchange interaction of the Coulomb origin under the edge-sharing network of magnetic and ligand ions. This produces two successive second-order phase transitions upon cooling: an O(2) chiral spin nematic, i.e., spin cholesteric, order appears with an either parity, and then the O(2) symmetry is broken to yield a helical magnetic order. Possible candidate materials are also discussed as new multiferroic systems.     

Continuum of compensation points in the mixed spin Ising ferrimagnet with four-spin interaction and next-nearest neighbor coupling

We investigate the magnetic properties of the mixed spin-1/2 and spin-1 Ising ferrimagnetic system with four-spin interaction J₄ and next-nearest neighbor (NNN) coupling J′. We perform exact ground-state calculations and use the finite cluster approximation, based on a single cluster theory, to derive the state equations for the two-dimensional square lattice. The main attention has been paid to the study of the phase diagram for both the transition and compensation temperatures. We find a number of characteristic behaviors. The model with only NNNs induces one compensation point while the four-spin interaction does not. The investigation of the model with both interactions shows a number of characteristic behaviors. In particular, the presence of the four-spin interaction, according to J₄ and J′, may lead to one, two or possibly a continuum of compensation points. This phenomenon may have important applications in technology such as thermomagnetic writing and erasing at the compensation point.     

Parallel dynamics of the asymmetric extremely diluted Ashkin-Teller neural network

The parallel dynamics of the asymmetric extremely diluted Ashkin-Teller neural network is studied using signal-to-noise analysis techniques. Evolution equations for the order parameters are derived, both at zero and finite temperature. The retrieval properties of the network are discussed in terms of the four-spin coupling strength and the temperature. It is shown that the presence of a four-spin coupling enhances the retrieval quality. Received 10 November 1999     

Exact ground states with deconfined gapless excitations for the three-leg spin-1/2 tube

We consider a spin-1/2 tube (a three-leg ladder with periodic boundary conditions) with a Hamiltonian given by two projection operators-one on the triangles and the other on the square plaquettes on the side of the tube-that can be written in terms of Heisenberg and four-spin ring exchange interactions. We identify 3 phases: (i)?for strongly antiferromagnetic exchange on the triangles, an exact ground state with a gapped spectrum can be given as an alternation of spin and chirality singlet bonds between nearest triangles; (ii)?for ferromagnetic exchange on the triangles, we recover the phase of the spin-3/2 Heisenberg chain; (iii)?between these two phases, a gapless incommensurate phase exists. We construct an exact ground state with two deconfined domain walls and a gapless excitation spectrum at the quantum phase transition point between the incommensurate and dimerized phases.     

Baryon exchange processes

The theory and phenomenology of baryon exchange processes are critically reviewed. As regards theory the main topics are the parity doublet problem and the patterns of exchange degenerate baryon trajectories implied by duality. In the phenomenological part, all baryon exchange reactions are considered, with the emphasis being on seeing how far simple ideas of pole exchange with the constraints implied by duality and broken SU(3) can be taken in forming an understanding of the data.     

Algebraic vortex liquid in spin-1/2 triangular antiferromagnets: scenario for Cs2CuCl4

Motivated by inelastic neutron scattering data on Cs2CuCl4, we explore spin-1/2 triangular lattice antiferromagnets with both spatial and easy-plane exchange anisotropies, the latter due to an observed Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction. Exploiting a duality mapping followed by a fermionization of the dual vortex degrees of freedom, we find a novel critical spin-liquid phase described in terms of Dirac fermions with an emergent global SU(4) symmetry minimally coupled to a noncompact U(1) gauge field. This "algebraic vortex liquid" supports gapless spin excitations and universal power-law correlations in the dynamical spin structure factor which are consistent with those observed in Cs2CuCl4. We suggest future neutron scattering experiments that should help distinguish between the algebraic vortex liquid and other spin liquids and quantum critical points previously proposed in the context of Cs2CuCl4.     

Low-energy pion-nucleon scattering

Several topics in pion-nucleon scattering at low energies are addressed. First, we review the predictions of chiral symmetry for the near-threshold region. The pion-nucleon scattering lengths and the Cheng-Dashen theorem with the related issue of the strangeness content of the nucleon are discussed in some detail. Finally, the status of the scalar mesons and the relevance of the pomeron and the concept of duality for pion-nucleon dynamics is pointed out.Lecture given at the 8th Summer School on Intermediate Energy Physics: Hadron Dynamics at Low and Intermediate Energies, Prague, July 10–14, 1995.I would like to thank the organizers of the Praha Indian-summer school for inviting me to this beautiful city. I am indebted to Th. Rijken and J. J. de Swart for discussions about the pomeron, the scalar mesons, and partial-wave analysis, and to U. van Kolck and J. Friar for discussions about chiral symmetry. This work was included in the research program of the Stichting voor Fundamenteel Onderzoek der Materie (FOM) with financial support from the Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek (NWO).