Spin versus bond correlations along dangling edges of quantum critical magnets

Physical review. B./Physical review. B, vol. 103

Abstract

Dangling edge spins of two-dimensional quantum critical antiferromagnets display strongly enhanced spin correlations with scaling dimensions that fall outside of the classical theory of surface critical phenomena. We provide large-scale quantum Monte Carlo results for both spin-correlation and bond-correlation functions for the case of the columnar dimer model in particular. Unlike the spin correlations, we find the bond correlations to differ starkly between the spin-1/2 and spin-1 case. Furthermore, we compare the corresponding scaling dimensions to recent theoretical predictions. These predictions are, in part, supported by our numerical data, but cannot explain our findings completely. Our results thus put further constraints on completing the understanding of dangling edge correlations, as well as surface phenomena in strongly correlated quantum systems in general.

Authors 2

1. Lukas Weber Aachen Institute for Theoretical Solid State Physics

   RWTH Aachen University · Jülich Aachen Research Alliance

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute for Theoretical Solid State Physics, JARA-FIT, and JARA-HPC, RWTH Aachen University, 52056 Aachen, Germany

2. Stefan Weßel Aachen Institute for Theoretical Solid State Physics

   RWTH Aachen University · Jülich Aachen Research Alliance

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute for Theoretical Solid State Physics, JARA-FIT, and JARA-HPC, RWTH Aachen University, 52056 Aachen, Germany