Quantum phase transition and sliding Luttinger liquid in coupled t-J chains

Abstract

Using a recently proposed perturbative numerical renormalization-group algorithm, we explore the connection between quantum criticality and the emergence of Luttinger liquid physics in $t-J$ chains coupled by frustrated interactions. This study is built on an earlier finding that at the maximally frustrated point, the ground state of weakly-coupled Heisenberg chains is disordered, the transverse exchanges being irrelevant. This result is extended here to transverse couplings up to $J_{\perp }=0.6$, and we argue that it may also be valid at the isotropic point. A finite size analysis of coupled Heisenberg chains in the vicinity of the maximally frustrated point confirms that the transverse spin-spin correlations decay exponentially while the longitudinal ones revert to those of decoupled chains. We find that this behavior persists upon moderate hole doping $x \alt 0.75$. For larger doping, the frustration becomes inactive and the quantum critical point is suppressed.

13 pages, 24 figures