Quantum phase transitions in trimerized zig-zag spin ladders

Abstract

We analyze the effects of a trimerized modulation in a quantum spin $S=\frac{1}{2}$ zig-zag ladder at the magnetization plateau $M=1/3$. Such periodicity is argued to be stemmed from lattice deformations by phonons. The interplay between frustration and exchange modulation is well described by an effective triple sine-Gordon field theory close to the homogeneous ladder and by block-spin perturbation theory in the weakly coupled trimers regime. The characteristic triple degeneracy of the ground state for homogeneous ladders gives place to modulation driven quantum phase transitions, leading to a rich phase diagram including up-up-down, quantum plateau and gapless plateau states.

Numerical analysis improved, 4 figures added. Final version to appear in Phys. Rev. B

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Cited by in corpus (3)

• Susceptibility at the edge points of magnetization plateau of 1D electron/spin systems
• Spin-Peierls-like phases in magnetoelastic $J_1-J_2$ antiferromagnetic chain at 1/3 magnetization
• Coexisting orders in the quarter-filled Hubbard chain with elastic deformations