Gapless Phases in an s=1/2 Quantum Spin Chain with Bond Alternation

Abstract

The $S=1/2$ XXZ spin chain with the staggered XY anisotropy $$ H = J \sum_{n}^{N} (S^{x}_{n} S^{x}_{n+1} + S^{y}_{n} S^{y}_{n+1} + ΔS^{z}_{n} S^{z}_{n+1}) - δ\sum_{n}^{N} (-1)^{n} (S^{x}_{n} S^{x}_{n+1} - S^{y}_{n} S^{y}_{n+1}) $$ is shown to possess gapless, Luttinger-liquid-like phases in a wide range of its parameters: the XY-like phase and spin nematic phases, the latter characterized by a two-spin order parameter breaking translational and spin rotation symmetries. In the simplest, exactly solvable case $Δ= 0$, the spectrum remains gapless at arbitrary $J$ and $δ$ and is described by two massless Majorana (real) fermions with different velocities $v_{\pm} = |J \pm δ|$. At $|δ| < J$ the staggered XY anisotropy does not influence the ground state of the system (XY phase). At $|δ| > J$, due to level crossing, a spin nematic state is realized, with $\uparrow \uparrow \downarrow \downarrow$ and $\uparrow \downarrow \downarrow \uparrow$ local symmetry of the $xx$ and $yy$ spin correlations. The spin correlation functions are calculated and the effect of thermally induced spin nematic ordering in the XY phase ("order from disorder") is discussed. The role of a finite $Δ$ is studied in the limiting cases $|δ| \ll J$