Vortex glass transitions in disordered three-dimensional XY models: Simulations for several different sets of parameters

The anisotropic frustrated 3D XY model with strong disorder in the coupling constants is studied as a model of a disordered superconductor in an applied magnetic field. Simulations with the exchange Monte Carlo method are performed for frustrations f=1/5 and f=1/4, corresponding to two different values of the magnetic field along the z direction. The anisotropy is also varied. The determination of the helicity modulus from twist histograms is discussed in some detail and the helicity modulus is used in finite size scaling analyses of the vortex glass transition. The general picture is that the behavior in [Phys. Rev. Lett. 91, 077002 (2003)] is confirmed. For strong (e.g. isotropic) coupling in the z direction the helicity modulus fails to scale and it is argued that this is due to a too small effective randomness of such systems for the accessible system sizes

Neel to staggered dimer order transition in a generalized honeycomb lattice Heisenberg model

We study a generalized honeycomb lattice spin-1/2 Heisenberg model with nearest-neighbor antiferromagnetic 2-spin exchange, and competing 4-spin interactions which serve to stabilize a staggered dimer state which breaks lattice rotational symmetry. Using a combination of quantum Monte Carlo numerics, spin wave theory, and bond operator theory, we show that this model undergoes a strong first-order transition between a Neel state and a staggered dimer state upon increasing the strength of the 4-spin interactions. We attribute the strong first order character of this transition to the spinless nature of the core of point-like Z(3) vortices obtained in the staggered dimer state. Unlike in the case of a columnar dimer state, disordering such vortices in the staggered dimer state does not naturally lead to magnetic order, suggesting that, in this model, the dimer and Neel order parameters should be thought of as independent fields as in conventional Landau theory.Comment: 13 pages, 10 fig

Chiral mixed phase in disordered 3d Heisenberg models

Using Monte Carlo simulations, we compute the spin stiffness of a site-random 3d Heisenberg model with competing ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic interactions. Our results for the pure limit yield values of the the critical temperature and the critical exponent $\nu$ in excellent agreement with previous high precision studies. In the disordered case, a mixed "chiral" phase is found which may be in the same universality class as 3d Heisenberg spin glasses.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures, accepted in PRB Rapid Communication

Dynamical scaling in Ising and vector spin glasses

We have studied numerically the dynamics of spin glasses with Ising and XY symmetry (gauge glass) in space dimensions 2, 3, and 4. The nonequilibrium spin-glass susceptibility and the nonequilibrium energy per spin of samples of large size L_b are measured as a function of anneal time t_w after a quench to temperatures T. The two observables are compared to the equilibrium spin-glass susceptibility and the equilibrium energy, respectively, measured as functions of temperature T and system size L for a range of system sizes. For any time and temperature a nonequilibrium time-dependent length scale L*(t_w,T) can be defined by comparing equilibrium and nonequilibrium quantities. Our analysis shows that for all systems studied, an "effective dynamical critical exponent" parametrization L*(t_w,T) = A(T) t^(1/z(T)) fits the data well at each temperature within the whole temperature range studied, which extends from well above the critical temperature to near T = 0 for dimension 2, or to well below the critical temperature for the other space dimensions studied. In addition, the data suggest that the dynamical critical exponent z varies smoothly when crossing the transition temperature.Comment: 14 pages, 13 figures, 9 table

Phase glass and zero-temperature phase transition in a randomly frustrated two-dimensional quantum rotor model

The ground state of the quantum rotor model in two dimensions with random phase frustration is investigated. Extensive Monte Carlo simulations are performed on the corresponding (2+1)-dimensional classical model under the entropic sampling scheme. For weak quantum fluctuation, the system is found to be in a phase glass phase characterized by a finite compressibility and a finite value for the Edwards-Anderson order parameter, signifying long-ranged phase rigidity in both spatial and imaginary time directions. Scaling properties of the model near the transition to the gapped, Mott insulator state with vanishing compressibility are analyzed. At the quantum critical point, the dynamic exponent $z_{\rm dyn}\simeq 1.17$ is greater than one. Correlation length exponents in the spatial and imaginary time directions are given by $\nu\simeq 0.73$ and $\nu_z\simeq 0.85$, respectively, both assume values greater than 0.6723 of the pure case. We speculate that the phase glass phase is superconducting rather than metallic in the zero current limit.Comment: 14 pages, 4 figures, to appear in JSTA

Spin Gap in Two-Dimensional Heisenberg Model for CaV4_4O9_9

We investigate the mechanism of spin gap formation in a two-dimensional model relevant to Mott insulators such as CaV$_4$O$_9$. From the perturbation expansion and quantum Monte Carlo calculations, the origin of the spin gap is ascribed to the four-site plaquette singlet in contrast to the dimer gap established in the generalized dimerized Heisenberg model.Comment: 8 pages, 6 figures available upon request (Revtex

Two spin liquid phases in the spatially anisotropic triangular Heisenberg model

The quantum spin-1/2 antiferromagnetic Heisenberg model on a two dimensional triangular lattice geometry with spatial anisotropy is relevant to describe materials like ${\rm Cs_2 Cu Cl_4}$ and organic compounds like {$\kappa$-(ET)$_2$Cu$_2$(CN)$_3$}. The strength of the spatial anisotropy can increase quantum fluctuations and can destabilize the magnetically ordered state leading to non conventional spin liquid phases. In order to understand these intriguing phenomena, quantum Monte Carlo methods are used to study this model system as a function of the anisotropic strength, represented by the ratio $J'/J$ between the intra-chain nearest neighbor coupling $J$ and the inter-chain one $J'$. We have found evidence of two spin liquid regions. The first one is stable for small values of the coupling J'/J \alt 0.65, and appears gapless and fractionalized, whereas the second one is a more conventional spin liquid with a small spin gap and is energetically favored in the region 0.65\alt J'/J \alt 0.8. We have also shown that in both spin liquid phases there is no evidence of broken translation symmetry with dimer or spin-Peirls order or any broken spatial reflection symmetry of the lattice. The various phases are in good agreement with the experimental findings, thus supporting the existence of spin liquid phases in two dimensional quantum spin-1/2 systems.Comment: 35 pages, 24 figures, 3 table

Simulation Studies on the Stability of the Vortex-Glass Order

The stability of the three-dimensional vortex-glass order in random type-II superconductors with point disorder is investigated by equilibrium Monte Carlo simulations based on a lattice XY model with a uniform field threading the system. It is found that the vortex-glass order, which stably exists in the absence of screening, is destroyed by the screenng effect, corroborating the previous finding based on the spatially isotropic gauge-glass model. Estimated critical exponents, however, deviate considerably from the values reported for the gauge-glass model.Comment: Minor modifications made, a few referenced added; to appear in J. Phys. Soc. Jpn. Vol.69 No.1 (2000