First-order Néel-VBS transition in $S=3/2$ antiferromagnets

Abstract

We study the transition between Néel and columnar valence-bond solid ordering in two-dimensional $S=3/2$ square lattice quantum antiferromagnets with SO(3) symmetry. According to the deconfined criticality scenario, this transition can be direct and continuous like the well-studied $S=1/2$ case. To study the global phase diagram, we work with four multi-spin couplings with full rotational symmetry, that are free of the sign-problem of quantum Monte Carlo. Exploring the phase diagram with quantum Monte Carlo simulations, we find that the phase transition between Néel and valence-bond solid is strongly first-order in the parts of the phase diagram that we have accessed.

11 pages, 16 figures

References in corpus (3)

• "Deconfined" quantum critical points
• Evidence for deconfined quantum criticality in a two-dimensional Heisenberg model with four-spin interactions
• Scaling in the Fan of an Unconventional Quantum Critical Point