Quantum Phase Transitions of Frustrated Heisenberg Antiferromagnets: a Comprehensive Renormalization Approach

Abstract

We develop a novel renormalization approach for frustrated quantum antiferromagnets. It is designed to consistently treat spin-wave interactions all over the magnetic Brillouin zone, including high-energy modes in outer regions as well as low energy modes in the center. Focusing on the paradigmatic $J_1$-$J_2$ model, we find a unifying description of the second-order transition between the Néel phase and the paramagnetic phase and the first-order transition between the Néel phase and the columnar phase. Our approach provides explicit results for the renormalized values of the spin stiffness and spin-wave velocity characterizing the low-energy magnons in the Néel phase.

4 pages, 3 figures, errors in references removed