On the Incommensurate Phase in Modulated Heisenberg Chains

Using the density matrix renormalization group method (DMRG) we calculate the magnetization of frustrated S=1/2 Heisenberg chains for various modulation patterns of the nearest neighbour coupling: commensurate, incommensurate with sinusoidal modulation and incommensurate with solitonic modulation. We focus on the order of the phase transition from the commensurate dimerized phase (D) to the incommensurate phase (I). It is shown that the order of the phase transition depends sensitively on the model. For the solitonic model in particular, a $k$-dependent elastic energy modifies the order of the transition. Furthermore, we calculate gaps in the incommensurate phase in adiabatic approximation.Comment: 8 pages, 9 figure

A magnetic model for the incommensurate I phase of spin-Peierls systems

A magnetic model is proposed for describing the incommensurate I phase of spin-Peierls systems. Based on the harmonicity of the lattice distortion, its main ingredient is that the distortion of the lattice adjusts to the average magnetization such that the system is always gapful. The presence of dynamical incommensurabilities in the fluctuation spectra is also predicted. Recent experimental results for CuGeO_3 obtained by NMR, ESR and light scattering absorption are well understood within this model.Comment: 8 pages, 3 figures, Latex with EPL style files all include

Circular Orbits in Einstein-Gauss-Bonnet Gravity

The stability under radial and vertical perturbations of circular orbits associated to particles orbiting a spherically symmetric center of attraction is study in the context of the n-dimensional: Newtonian theory of gravitation, Einstein's general relativity, and Einstein-Gauss-Bonnet theory of gravitation. The presence of a cosmological constant is also considered. We find that this constant as well as the Gauss-Bonnet coupling constant are crucial to have stability for $n>4$.Comment: 11 pages, 4 figs, RevTex, Phys. Rev. D, in pres

Finite Temperature DMRG Investigation of the Spin-Peierls Transition in CuGeO3_3

We present a numerical study of thermodynamical properties of dimerized frustrated Heisenberg chains down to extremely low temperatures with applications to CuGeO$_3$. A variant of the finite temperature density matrix renormalization group (DMRG) allows the study of the dimerized phase previously unaccessible to ab initio calculations. We investigate static dimerized systems as well as the instability of the quantum chain towards lattice dimerization. The crossover from a quadratic response in the free energy to the distortion field at finite temperature to nonanalytic behavior at zero temperature is studied quantitatively. Various physical quantities are derived and compared with experimental data for CuGeO$_3$ such as magnetic dimerization, critical temperature, susceptibility and entropy.Comment: LaTeX, 5 pages, 5 eps figures include

Ordered phases in spin-Peierls systems

The microscopic description of spin-Peierls substances is discussed. Particular attention is paid to the ordered (dimerised and incommensurably modulated) phases. Important points are the adiabatic and the antiadiabatic approach, generic soliton forms, elastic and magnetic interchain couplings. The wealth and the accuracy of experimental information collected for the first inorganic spin-Peierls substance CuGeO_3 motivates this work.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figures included, submitted to Physica B in the Proceedings to LT22, Helsinki, 199

Raman Response of Magnetic Excitations in Cuprate Ladders and Planes

An unified picture for the Raman response of magnetic excitations in cuprate spin-ladder compounds is obtained by comparing calculated two-triplon Raman line-shapes with those of the prototypical compounds SrCu2O3 (Sr123), Sr14Cu24O41 (Sr14), and La6Ca8Cu24O41 (La6Ca8). The theoretical model for the two-leg ladder contains Heisenberg exchange couplings J_parallel and J_perp plus an additional four-spin interaction J_cyc. Within this model Sr123 and Sr14 can be described by x:=J_parallel/J_perp=1.5, x_cyc:=J_cyc/J_perp=0.2, J_perp^Sr123=1130 cm^-1 and J_perp^Sr14=1080 cm^-1. The couplings found for La6Ca8 are x=1.2, x_cyc=0.2, and J_perp^La6Ca8=1130 cm^-1. The unexpected sharp two-triplon peak in the ladder materials compared to the undoped two-dimensional cuprates can be traced back to the anisotropy of the magnetic exchange in rung and leg direction. With the results obtained for the isotropic ladder we calculate the Raman line-shape of a two-dimensional square lattice using a toy model consisting of a vertical and a horizontal ladder. A direct comparison of these results with Raman experiments for the two-dimensional cuprates R2CuO4 (R=La,Nd), Sr2CuO2Cl2, and YBa2Cu3O(6+delta) yields a good agreement for the dominating two-triplon peak. We conclude that short range quantum fluctuations are dominating the magnetic Raman response in both, ladders and planes. We discuss possible scenarios responsible for the high-energy spectral weight of the Raman line-shape, i.e. phonons, the triple-resonance and multi-particle contributions.Comment: 10 pages, 6 figure

Spin-Peierls transition of the first order in S=1 antiferromagnetic Heisenberg chains

We investigate a one-dimensional S=1 antiferromagnetic Heisenberg model coupled to a lattice distortion by a quantum Monte Carlo method. Investigating the ground state energy of the static bond-alternating chain, we find that the instability to a dimerized chain depends on the value of the spin-phonon coupling, unlike the case of S=1/2. The spin state is the dimer state or the uniform Haldane state depending on whether the lattice distorts or not, respectively. At an intermediate value of the spin-phonon coupling, we find the first-order transition between the two states. We also find the coexistence of the two states.Comment: 7 pages, 12 eps figures embedded in the text; corrected typos, replaced figure

Geo-Biological Investigations on Azooxanthellate Cold-Water Coral Reefs on the Carbonate Mounds Along the Celtic Continental Slope

Northeast Atlantic 2004 Cruise No. 61, Leg 1 April 19 to May 4, 2004, Lisbon – Cor