Abstract
We calculate the order parameter m in the infinite-range isotropic-interaction quantum model of antiferromagnetism due to Lieb and Mattis (LM). The Hamiltonian in this model contains pure Heisenberg interactions. m is the mean value of the z component of the staggered spin per particle in the ground state of plus a symmetry-breaking term due to an infinitesimal staggered field B in the thermodynamic limit (TL). We find a value of √3 for the ratio r=m/, being the root-mean-square value of for B==0 in the TL. m and measure, respectively, the spontaneous symmetry breaking and the amount of long-range order in the symmetry-unbroken state. This value is expected on the basis of our recent argument that r= √3 if behaves in the TL as a classical vector with no magnitude fluctuations—behavior that we show holds for the Lieb-Mattis model. The addition to of a small easy-axis anisotropic term is also discussed briefly. These studies allow calculation of the size dependence of quantities that we have recently shown to become lower bounds on m in the TL (bounds that are valid for short-range-interaction models as well). In the LM model, low-lying energy eigenstates with excitation energies of order , where N is the number of spins, form a continuum (with no gap) in the TL. These are closely related to similar states shown to exist for the nearest-neighbor isotropic Heisenberg antiferromagnet. We show that this continuum has a density of states that is O(); i.e., it is not extensive.
- Received 13 April 1990
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.42.4663
©1990 American Physical Society