Magnetization plateaux and jumps in a class of frustrated ladders: A simple route to a complex behaviour

We study the occurrence of plateaux and jumps in the magnetization curves of a class of frustrated ladders for which the Hamiltonian can be written in terms of the total spin of a rung. We argue on the basis of exact diagonalization of finite clusters that the ground state energy as a function of magnetization can be obtained as the minimum - with Maxwell constructions if necessary - of the energies of a small set of spin chains with mixed spins. This allows us to predict with very elementary methods the existence of plateaux and jumps in the magnetization curves in a large parameter range, and to provide very accurate estimates of these magnetization curves from exact or DMRG results for the relevant spin chains.Comment: 14 pages REVTeX, 7 PostScript figures included using psfig.sty; this is the final version to appear in Eur. Phys. J B; some references added and a few other minor change

Systematic errors in Gaussian Quantum Monte Carlo and a systematic study of the symmetry projection method

Gaussian Quantum Monte Carlo (GQMC) is a stochastic phase space method for fermions with positive weights. In the example of the Hubbard model close to half filling it fails to reproduce all the symmetries of the ground state leading to systematic errors at low temperatures. In a previous work [Phys. Rev. B {\bf 72}, 224518 (2005)] we proposed to restore the broken symmetries by projecting the density matrix obtained from the simulation onto the ground state symmetry sector. For ground state properties, the accuracy of this method depends on a {\it large overlap} between the GQMC and exact density matrices. Thus, the method is not rigorously exact. We present the limits of the approach by a systematic study of the method for 2 and 3 leg Hubbard ladders for different fillings and on-site repulsion strengths. We show several indications that the systematic errors stem from non-vanishing boundary terms in the partial integration step in the derivation of the Fokker-Planck equation. Checking for spiking trajectories and slow decaying probability distributions provides an important test of the reliability of the results. Possible solutions to avoid boundary terms are discussed. Furthermore we compare results obtained from two different sampling methods: Reconfiguration of walkers and the Metropolis algorithm.Comment: 11 pages, 14 figures, revised version, new titl

Systematic errors in Gaussian Quantum Monte Carlo and a systematic study of the symmetry projection method

Gaussian Quantum Monte Carlo (GQMC) is a stochastic phase space method for fermions with positive weights. In the example of the Hubbard model close to half filling it fails to reproduce all the symmetries of the ground state leading to systematic errors at low temperatures. In a previous work [Phys. Rev. B {\bf 72}, 224518 (2005)] we proposed to restore the broken symmetries by projecting the density matrix obtained from the simulation onto the ground state symmetry sector. For ground state properties, the accuracy of this method depends on a {\it large overlap} between the GQMC and exact density matrices. Thus, the method is not rigorously exact. We present the limits of the approach by a systematic study of the method for 2 and 3 leg Hubbard ladders for different fillings and on-site repulsion strengths. We show several indications that the systematic errors stem from non-vanishing boundary terms in the partial integration step in the derivation of the Fokker-Planck equation. Checking for spiking trajectories and slow decaying probability distributions provides an important test of the reliability of the results. Possible solutions to avoid boundary terms are discussed. Furthermore we compare results obtained from two different sampling methods: Reconfiguration of walkers and the Metropolis algorithm.Comment: 11 pages, 14 figures, revised version, new titl

Supersolid phase induced by correlated hopping in spin-1/2 frustrated quantum magnets

We show that correlated hopping of triplets, which is often the dominant source of kinetic energy in dimer-based frustrated quantum magnets, produces a remarkably strong tendency to form supersolid phases in a magnetic field. These phases are characterized by simultaneous modulation and ordering of the longitudinal and transverse magnetization respectively. Using Quantum Monte Carlo and a semiclassical approach for an effective hard-core boson model with nearest-neighbor repulsion on a square lattice, we prove in particular that a supersolid phase can exist even if the repulsion is not strong enough to stabilize an insulating phase at half-filling. Experimental implications for frustrated quantum antiferromagnets in a magnetic field at zero and finite temperature are discussed.Comment: 4 pages; 4 figures; published versio

Mechanisms for Spin-Supersolidity in S=1/2 Spin-Dimer Antiferromagnets

Using perturbative expansions and the contractor renormalization (CORE) algorithm, we obtain effective hard-core bosonic Hamiltonians describing the low-energy physics of $S=1/2$ spin-dimer antiferromagnets known to display supersolid phases under an applied magnetic field. The resulting effective models are investigated by means of mean-field analysis and quantum Monte Carlo simulations. A "leapfrog mechanism", through means of which extra singlets delocalize in a checkerboard-solid environment via correlated hoppings, is unveiled that accounts for the supersolid behavior.Comment: 12 pages, 10 figure

Simulation results for an interacting pair of resistively shunted Josephson junctions

Using a new cluster Monte Carlo algorithm, we study the phase diagram and critical properties of an interacting pair of resistively shunted Josephson junctions. This system models tunneling between two electrodes through a small superconducting grain, and is described by a double sine-Gordon model. In accordance with theoretical predictions, we observe three different phases and crossover effects arising from an intermediate coupling fixed point. On the superconductor-to-metal phase boundary, the observed critical behavior is within error-bars the same as in a single junction, with identical values of the critical resistance and a correlation function exponent which depends only on the strength of the Josephson coupling. We explain these critical properties on the basis of a renormalization group (RG) calculation. In addition, we propose an alternative new mean-field theory for this transition, which correctly predicts the location of the phase boundary at intermediate Josephson coupling strength.Comment: 21 pages, some figures best viewed in colo

The fate of vacancy-induced supersolidity in 4He

The supersolid state of matter, exhibiting non-dissipative flow in solids, has been elusive for thirty five years. The recent discovery of a non-classical moment of inertia in solid 4He by Kim and Chan provided the first experimental evidence, although the interpretation in terms of supersolidity of the ideal crystal phase remains subject to debate. Using quantum Monte Carlo methods we investigate the long-standing question of vacancy-induced superflow and find that vacancies in a 4He crystal phase separate instead of forming a supersolid. On the other hand, non-equilibrium vacancies relaxing on defects of poly-crystalline samples could provide an explanation for the experimental observations.Comment: 4 pages,4 figures. Replaced with published versio

Two Step Restoration of SU(2) Symmetry in a Frustrated Ring-Exchange Magnet

We demonstrate the existence of a spin-nematic, moment-free phase in a quantum four-spin ring exchange model on the square lattice. This unusual quantum state is created by the interplay of frustration and quantum fluctuations which lead to a partial restoration of SU(2) symmetry when going from a four-sublattice orthogonal biaxial Neel order to this exotic uniaxial magnet. A further increase of frustration drives a transition to a fully gapped SU(2) symmetric valence bond crystal.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figure