We propose a simple family of valence-bond crystals as potential ground states of the S=1/2 and S=1 Heisenberg antiferromagnet on the pyrochlore lattice. Exponentially numerous in the linear size of the system, these can be visualized as hard-hexagon coverings, with each hexagon representing a resonating valence-bond ring. This ensemble spontaneously breaks rotation, inversion, and translation symmetries. A simple, yet accurate, variational wave function allows a precise determination of the energy, confirmed by the density matrix renormalization group and numerical linked cluster expansion, and extended by an analysis of excited states. The identification of the origin of the stability indicates applicability to a broad class of frustrated lattices, which we demonstrate for the checkerboard and ruby lattices. Our work suggests a perspective on such quantum magnets, in which unfrustrated motifs are effectively uncoupled by the frustration of their interactions
Description
Phys. Rev. Lett. 131, 096702 (2023) - Abundance of Hard-Hexagon Crystals in the Quantum Pyrochlore Antiferromagnet
%0 Journal Article
%1 PhysRevLett.131.096702
%A Schäfer, Robin
%A Placke, Benedikt
%A Benton, Owen
%A Moessner, Roderich
%D 2023
%I American Physical Society
%J Phys. Rev. Lett.
%K a
%N 9
%P 096702
%R 10.1103/PhysRevLett.131.096702
%T Abundance of hard-hexagon crystals in the quantum pyrochlore antiferromagnet
%U https://link.aps.org/doi/10.1103/PhysRevLett.131.096702
%V 131
%X We propose a simple family of valence-bond crystals as potential ground states of the S=1/2 and S=1 Heisenberg antiferromagnet on the pyrochlore lattice. Exponentially numerous in the linear size of the system, these can be visualized as hard-hexagon coverings, with each hexagon representing a resonating valence-bond ring. This ensemble spontaneously breaks rotation, inversion, and translation symmetries. A simple, yet accurate, variational wave function allows a precise determination of the energy, confirmed by the density matrix renormalization group and numerical linked cluster expansion, and extended by an analysis of excited states. The identification of the origin of the stability indicates applicability to a broad class of frustrated lattices, which we demonstrate for the checkerboard and ruby lattices. Our work suggests a perspective on such quantum magnets, in which unfrustrated motifs are effectively uncoupled by the frustration of their interactions
@article{PhysRevLett.131.096702,
abstract = {We propose a simple family of valence-bond crystals as potential ground states of the S=1/2 and S=1 Heisenberg antiferromagnet on the pyrochlore lattice. Exponentially numerous in the linear size of the system, these can be visualized as hard-hexagon coverings, with each hexagon representing a resonating valence-bond ring. This ensemble spontaneously breaks rotation, inversion, and translation symmetries. A simple, yet accurate, variational wave function allows a precise determination of the energy, confirmed by the density matrix renormalization group and numerical linked cluster expansion, and extended by an analysis of excited states. The identification of the origin of the stability indicates applicability to a broad class of frustrated lattices, which we demonstrate for the checkerboard and ruby lattices. Our work suggests a perspective on such quantum magnets, in which unfrustrated motifs are effectively uncoupled by the frustration of their interactions},
added-at = {2023-10-26T10:51:42.000+0200},
author = {Schäfer, Robin and Placke, Benedikt and Benton, Owen and Moessner, Roderich},
biburl = {https://www.bibsonomy.org/bibtex/20cab6a76ac028469ab29827062ec58df/ctqmat},
day = 30,
description = {Phys. Rev. Lett. 131, 096702 (2023) - Abundance of Hard-Hexagon Crystals in the Quantum Pyrochlore Antiferromagnet},
doi = {10.1103/PhysRevLett.131.096702},
interhash = {9787681162972c98a8c9356a3542c9fb},
intrahash = {0cab6a76ac028469ab29827062ec58df},
journal = {Phys. Rev. Lett.},
keywords = {a},
month = {08},
number = 9,
numpages = {6},
pages = 096702,
publisher = {American Physical Society},
timestamp = {2023-10-31T11:05:06.000+0100},
title = {Abundance of hard-hexagon crystals in the quantum pyrochlore antiferromagnet},
url = {https://link.aps.org/doi/10.1103/PhysRevLett.131.096702},
volume = 131,
year = 2023
}