Chiral fluctuations in triangular antiferromagnets at T≪TNT \ll T_N

Chiral fluctuations in triangular antiferromagnets (TAFs) at $T \ll T_N$ are studied theoretically. The case of a ferromagnetic interaction along c axis (which is directed perpendicular to the plane of the lattice), Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction ${\bf D}\| c$ and a weak magnetic field ${\bf H}\| c$ is considered in detail. Previously, this model has been proposed to describe quantum TAF CsCuCl$_3$. Expressions for dynamical chirality (DC) are derived within the linear spin-wave approximation. In contrast to non-frustrated antiferromagnets, DC is found to be nonzero even at $D,H=0$ in a one-domain sample. We argue that this unusual behavior stems from the fact that a ground state of XY and Heisenberg TAFs is characterized by an axial vector along which DC is directed

Anomalously large damping of long-wavelength quasiparticles caused by long-range interaction

We demonstrate that long-range interaction in a system can lead to a very strong interaction between long-wavelength quasiparticles and make them heavily damped. In particular, we discuss magnon spectrum using 1/S expansion in 3D Heisenberg ferromagnet (FM) with arbitrary small dipolar forces at T<<T_C. We obtain that a fraction of long-wavelength magnons with energies e_k<T has anomalously large damping G_k (ratio G_k/e_k reaches 0.3 for certain k). This effect is observed both in quantum and classical FMs. Remarkably, this result contradicts expectation of the quasiparticle concept according which a weakly excited state of a many-body system can be represented as a collection of weakly interacting elementary excitations. Particular materials are pointed out which are suitable for corresponding experiments.Comment: 13 pages, 6 figures, some minor corrections have been made, to appear in PR

Spectrum of short-wavelength magnons in two-dimensional quantum Heisenberg antiferromagnet on a square lattice: third order expansion in 1/S

The spectrum of short-wavelength magnons in two-dimensional quantum Heisenberg antiferromagnet on a square lattice is calculated in the third order in $1/S$ expansion. It is shown that $1/S$ series for $S=1/2$ converges fast in the whole Brillouin zone except for the neighborhood of the point ${\bf k}=(\pi,0)$, at which absolute values of the third and the second order $1/S$-corrections are approximately equal to each other. It is shown that the third order corrections make deeper the roton-like local minimum at ${\bf k}=(\pi,0)$ improving the agreement with the recent experiments and numerical results in the neighborhood of this point. It is suggested that $1/S$ series converges slowly near ${\bf k}=(\pi,0)$ also for $S=1$ although the spectrum renormalization would be small in this case due to very small values of high-order $1/S$ corrections.Comment: 11 pages, 2 figure

Multiple magnon modes in spin-1/2 Heisenberg antiferromagnet on simple square lattice in strong magnetic field

We discuss spin-$\frac12$ Heisenberg antiferromagnet on simple square lattice in magnetic field $H$ using recently proposed bond-operator technique. It is well known that magnetically ordered phases of quantum magnets are well described at least qualitatively by the conventional spin-wave theory that only introduces quantum corrections into the classical solution of the problem. We observe that quantum fluctuations change drastically dynamical properties of the considered model at $H$ close to its saturation value: the dynamical structure factor shows anomalies corresponding to Green's function poles which have no counterparts in the spin-wave theory. That is, quantum fluctuations produce multiple short-wavelength magnon modes not changing qualitatively the long-wavelength spin dynamics. Our results are in agreement with previous quantum Monte-Carlo simulations and exact diagonalization of finite clusters.Comment: 11 pages, 10 figure

Double-peak specific heat feature in frustrated antiferromagnetic clusters

We study the nature of the double-peak specific heat structure in kagome clusters. That containing 12 spins is considered thoroughly by numerical diagonalization. Simple models are proposed revealing the low-$T$ peak nature at $T_l<\Delta$ ($\Delta$ is the spin gap) in this case and in those of larger clusters studied so far. We show that the rapid increase in density of states just above the spin gap gives rise to this peak. These models establish the reason for the weak magnetic field sensitivity of the low-$T$ peak. Our discussion could be appropriate for other frustrated antiferromagnetic systems too.Comment: 7 pages, 3 figure

Breakdown of long-wavelength magnons in cubic antiferromagnets with dipolar forces at small temperature

Using $1/S$ expansion, we discuss the magnon spectrum of Heisenberg antiferromagnet (AF) on a simple cubic lattice with small dipolar interaction at small temperature $T\ll T_N$, where $T_N$ is the Neel temperature. Similar to 3D and 2D ferromagnets, quantum and thermal fluctuations renormalize greatly the bare gapless spectrum leading to a gap $\Delta\sim \omega_0$, where $\omega_0$ is the characteristic dipolar energy. This gap is accompanied by anisotropic corrections to the free energy which make the cube edges easy directions for the staggered magnetization (dipolar anisotropy). In accordance with previous results, we find that dipolar forces split the magnon spectrum into two branches. This splitting makes possible two types of processes which lead to a considerable enhance of the damping compared to the Heisenberg AF: a magnon decay into two other magnons and a confluence of two magnons. It is found that magnons are well defined quasiparticles in quantum AF. We demonstrate however that a small fraction of long-wavelength magnons can be overdamped in AFs with $S\gg1$ and in quantum AFs with a single-ion anisotropy competing with the dipolar anisotropy. Particular materials are pointed out which can be suitable for experimental observation of this long-wavelength magnons breakdown that contradicts expectation of the quasiparticle concept

Low-energy singlet sector in spin-12\frac{1}{2} J1J_1--J2J_2 Heisenberg model on square lattice

Based on a special variant of plaquette expansion, an operator is constructed whose eigenvalues give the low-energy singlet spectrum of spin-$\frac12$ Heisenberg antiferromagnet on square lattice with nearest- and frustrating next-nearest-neighbor exchange couplings $J_1$ and $J_2$. It is well known that a non-magnetic phase arises in this model at $0.4\lesssim J_2/J_1\lesssim 0.6$ sandwiched by two N\'eel ordered phases. In agreement with previous results, we observe a first-order quantum phase transition (QPT) at $J_2\approx 0.64J_1$ from the non-magnetic phase to the N\'eel one. Large gap ($\gtrsim0.4J_1$) is found in the singlet spectrum at $J_2<0.64J_1$ that excludes a gapless spin-liquid state at $0.4\lesssim J_2/J_1\lesssim 0.6$ and the deconfined quantum criticality scenario for the QPT to another N\'eel phase. We observe a first-order QPT at $J_2\approx 0.55J_1$ presumably between two non-magnetic phases

Low-energy singlet excitations in spin- 1/2 Heisenberg antiferromagnet on square lattice

We present an approach based on a dimer expansion which describes low-energy singlet excitations (singlons) in spin-$\frac12$ Heisenberg antiferromagnet on simple square lattice. An operator ("effective Hamiltonian") is constructed whose eigenvalues give the singlon spectrum. The "effective Hamiltonian" looks like a Hamiltonian of a spin-$\frac12$ magnet in strong external magnetic field and it has a gapped spectrum. It is found that singlet states lie above triplet ones (magnons) in the whole Brillouin zone except in the vicinity of the point $(\pi,0)$, where their energies are slightly smaller. Based on this finding, we suggest that a magnon decay is possible near $(\pi,0)$ into another magnon and a singlon which may contribute to the dip of the magnon spectrum near $(\pi,0)$ and reduce the magnon lifetime. It is pointed out that the singlon-magnon continuum may contribute to the continuum of excitations observed recently near $(\pi,0)$

Chiral Spin Liquid in two-dimensional XY Helimagnets

We carry out Monte-Carlo simulations to discuss critical properties of a classical two-dimensional XY frustrated helimagnet on a square lattice. We find two successive phase transitions upon the temperature decreasing: the first one is associated with breaking of a discrete Z_2 symmetry and the second one is of the Berezinskii-Kosterlitz-Thouless (BKT) type at which the SO(2) symmetry breaks. Thus, a narrow region exists on the phase diagram between lines of the Ising and the BKT transitions that corresponds to a chiral spin liquid.Comment: 15 pages, 23 figure

Elementary excitations in the ordered phase of spin-1/2 J1-J2 model on square lattice

We use recently proposed four-spin bond-operator technique (BOT) to discuss spectral properties of frustrated spin-$\frac12$ $J_1$--$J_2$ Heisenberg antiferromagnet on square lattice at $J_2<0.4J_1$ (i.e., in the N\'eel ordered phase). This formalism is convenient for the consideration of low-lying excitations which appear in conventional approaches as multi-magnon bound states (e.g., the Higgs excitation) because separate bosons describe them in BOT. At $J_2=0$, the obtained magnon spectrum describes accurately available experimental data. However, calculated one-magnon spectral weights and the transverse dynamical structure factor (DSF) do not reproduce experimental findings quantitatively around the momentum ${\bf k}=(\pi,0)$. Then, we do not support the conjecture that the continuum of excitations observed experimentally and numerically near ${\bf k}=(\pi,0)$ is of the Higgs-magnon origin. Upon $J_2$ increasing, one-magnon spectral weights decrease and spectra of high-energy spin-0 and spin-1 excitations move down. One of spin-0 quasiparticles becomes long-lived and its spectrum merges with the magnon spectrum in the most part of the Brillouin zone at $J_2\approx0.3J_1$. We predict that the Higgs excitation and another spin-0 quasiparticle become long-lived around ${\bf k}=(\pi/2,\pi/2)$ at J_2\agt0.3J_1 and produce sharp anomalies in the longitudinal DSF.Comment: 11 pages, 8 figure