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We present results on entropy and heat-capacity of the spin-S honeycomb-lattice Kitaev models using high-temperature series expansions and thermal pure quantum (TPQ) state methods. We study models with anisotropic couplings $J_z=1\ge J_x=J_y$ for spin values 1/2, 1, 3/2, and 2. We show that for $S>1/2$, any anisotropy leads to well developed plateaus in the entropy function at an entropy value of $\frac{1}{2}\ln{2}$, independent of $S$. However, in the absence of anisotropy, there is an incipient entropy plateau at $S_{max}/2$, where $S_{max}$ is the infinite temperature entropy of the system. We discuss possible underlying microscopic reasons for the origin and implications of these entropy plateaus., Comment: 6 pages and 11 figures

The perovskite Ba8CoNb6O24 comprises equilateral effective spin-1/2 Co2+ triangular layers separated by six non-magnetic layers. Susceptibility, specific heat and neutron scattering measurements combined with high-temperature series expansions and spin-wave calculations confirm that Ba8CoNb6O24 is basically a twodimensional (2D) magnet with no detectable spin anisotropy and no long-range magnetic ordering down to 0.06 K. In other words, Ba8CoNb6O24 is very close to be a realization of the paradigmatic spin-1/2 triangular Heisenberg model, which is not expected to exhibit symmetry breaking at finite temperature according to the Mermin and Wagner theorem., Comment: 8 pages, 5 figures with SI

If magnetic frustration is most commonly known for undermining long-range order, as famously illustrated by spin liquids, the ability of matter to develop new collective mechanisms in order to fight frustration is no less fascinating, providing an avenue for the exploration and discovery of unconventional properties of matter. Here we study an ideal minimal model of such mechanisms which, incidentally, pertains to the perplexing quantum spin ice candidate Yb2Ti2O7. Specifically, we explain how thermal and quantum fluctuations, optimized by order-by-disorder selection, conspire to expand the stability region of an accidentally degenerate continuous symmetry U(1) manifold against the classical splayed ferromagnetic ground state that is displayed by the sister compound Yb2Sn2O7. The resulting competition gives rise to multiple phase transitions, in striking similitude with recent experiments on Yb2Ti2O7 [Lhotel et al., Phys. Rev. B 89 224419 (2014)]. Considering the effective Hamiltonian determined for Yb2Ti2O7, we provide, by combining a gamut of numerical techniques, compelling evidence that such multiphase competition is the long-sought missing key to understanding the intrinsic properties of this material. As a corollary, our work offers a pertinent illustration of the influence of chemical pressure in rare-earth pyrochlores., Comment: 9 pages

We investigate the excitation spectrum of the triangular-lattice antiferromagnetic $XXZ$ model using series expansions and mean field Schwinger bosons approaches. The single-magnon spectrum computed with series expansions exhibits rotonic minima at the middle points of the edges of the Brillouin zone, for all values of the anisotropy parameter in the range $0\leq J^z/J\leq1$. Based on the good agreement with series expansions for the single-magnon spectrum, we compute the full dynamical magnetic structure factor within the mean field Schwinger boson approach to investigate the relevance of the $XXZ$ model for the description of the unusual spectrum found recently in $Ba_3CoSb_2O_9$. In particular, we obtain an extended continuum above the spin wave excitations, which is further enhanced and brought closer to those observed in $Ba_3CoSb_2O_9$ with the addition of a second neighbor exchange interaction approximately 15% of the nearest-neighbor value. Our results support the idea that excitation continuum with substantial spectral-weight are generically present in two-dimensional frustrated spin systems and fractionalization in terms of {\it bosonic} spinons presents an efficient way to describe them., Comment: 8 pages, 4 figures

Several rare earth magnetic pyrochlore materials are well modeled by a spin-1/2 quantum Hamiltonian with anisotropic exchange parameters Js. For the Er2Ti2O7 material, the Js were recently determined from high-field inelastic neutron scattering measurements. Here, we perform high-temperature (T) series expansions to compute the thermodynamic properties of this material using these Js. Comparison with experimental data show that the model describes the material very well including the finite temperature phase transition to an ordered phase at Tc~1.2 K. We show that high temperature expansions give identical results for different q=0 xy order parameter susceptibilities up to 8th order in \beta=1/T (presumably to all orders in \beta). Conversely, a non-linear susceptibility related to the 6th power of the order parameter reveals a thermal order-by-disorder selection of the same non-colinear \psi_2 state as found in Er2Ti2O7., Comment: 12 pages, 4 figures

We present a Quantum Monte Carlo study of the Ising model in a transverse field on a square lattice with nearest-neighbor antiferromagnetic exchange interaction J and one diagonal second-neighbor interaction $J'$, interpolating between square-lattice ($J'=0$) and triangular-lattice ($J'=J$) limits. At a transverse-field of $B_x=J$, the disorder-line first introduced by Stephenson, where the correlations go from Neel to incommensurate, meets the zero temperature axis at $J'\approx 0.7 J$. Strong evidence is provided that the incommensurate phase at larger $J'$, at finite temperatures, is a floating phase with power-law decaying correlations. We sketch a general phase-diagram for such a system and discuss how our work connects with the previous Quantum Monte Carlo work by Isakov and Moessner for the isotropic triangular lattice ($J'=J$). For the isotropic triangular-lattice, we also obtain the entropy function and constant entropy contours using a mix of Quantum Monte Carlo, high-temperature series expansions and high-field expansion methods and show that phase transitions in the model in presence of a transverse field occur at very low entropy.

We study corrections to single tetrahedron based approximations for the entropy, specific heat and uniform susceptibility of the pyrochlore lattice Ising antiferromagnet, by a Numerical Linked Cluster (NLC) expansion. In a tetrahedron based NLC, the first order gives the Pauling residual entropy of ${1\over 2}\log{3\over 2}\approx 0.20273$. A 16-th order NLC calculation changes the residual entropy to 0.205507 a correction of 1.37 percent over the Pauling value. At high temperatures, the accuracy of the calculations is verified by a high temperature series expansion. We find the corrections to the single tetrahedron approximations to be at most a few percent for all the thermodynamic properties., Comment: 5 pages, 5 figures. Version as published in PRB

We develop high temperature series expansions for $\ln{Z}$ and the uniform structure factor of the spin-half Heisenberg model on the hyperkagome lattice to order $\beta^{16}$. These expansions are used to calculate the uniform susceptibility ($\chi$), the entropy ($S$), and the heat capacity ($C$) of the model as a function of temperature. Series extrapolations of the expansions converge well down to a temperature of approximately $J/4$. A comparison with the experimental data for Na$_4$Ir$_3$O$_8$ shows that its magnetic susceptibility is reasonably well described by the model with an exchange constant $J\approx 300 K$, but there are also additional smaller terms present in the system. The specific heat of the model has two peaks. The lower temperature peak, which is just below our range of convergence contains about 40 percent of the total entropy. Despite being a 3-dimensional lattice, this model shares many features with the kagome lattice Heisenberg model and the material must be considered a strong candidate for a quantum spin-liquid., Comment: 5 pages and 5 figures, submitted to PRB

Motivated by the observation of a disordered spin ground state in the $S=3/2$ material Bi$_3$Mn$_4$O$_{12}$NO$_3$, we study the ground state properties and excitation spectra of the $S=3/2$ (and for comparison $S=1/2$) bilayer Heisenberg model on the honeycomb lattice, with and without frustrating further neighbor interactions. We use series expansions around the N\'eel state to calculate properties of the magnetically ordered phase. Furthermore, series expansions in $1/\lambda=J_1/J_{\perp}$, where $J_1$ is an in-plane exchange constant and $J_\perp$ is the exchange constant between the layers are used to study properties of the spin singlet phase. For the unfrustrated case, our results for the phase transitions are in very good agreement with recent Quantum Monte Carlo studies. We also obtain the excitation spectra in the disordered phase and study the change in the critical $\lambda$ when frustrating exchange interactions are added to the $S=3/2$ system and find a rapid suppression of the ordered phase with frustration. Implications for the material Bi$_3$Mn$_4$O$_{12}$NO$_3$ are discussed., Comment: 5 pages, 6 figures

We consider a 3-dimensional quantum antiferromagnet which can be driven through a quantum critical point (QCP) by varying a tuning parameter g. Starting from the magnetically ordered phase, the N{\'e}el temperature will decrease to zero as the QCP is approached. From a generic quantum field theory, together with numerical results from a specific microscopic Heisenberg spin model, we demonstrate the existence of universal behaviour near the QCP. We compare our results with available data for TlCuCl_3

The 35th Australian/New Zealand Annual Condensed Matter and Materials Meeting was held at the Charles Sturt University campus in Wagga Wagga, NSW, Australia from the 1st to the 4th of February 2011. The conference was attended by 92 delegates from a range of universities across Australia, New Zealand and further afield. There were a total of 9 invited and 21 contributed talks during the three days of scientific sessions, as well as 2 poster sessions with a total of 49 poster presentations. All presenters were invited to submit a manuscript for publication in the conference proceedings. The length limits where six pages for invited papers and four pages for contributed papers. Each manuscript was reviewed by two anonymous referees and 18 papers were accepted for publication. The accepted manuscripts are also available at the online publication section of the Australian Institute of Physics national web site (http://www.aip.org.au/)., Comment: A.P. Micolich (Editor), ISBN 978-0-646-55969-8 (2011). 18 papers from 35th Australian/New Zealand Annual Condensed Matter and Materials Meeting, 85 pages

We study magnetically ordered phases and their phase boundaries in the $J_1-J_2-J_3$ Heisenberg models on the honeycomb lattice using series expansions around N\'eel and different colinear and non-colinear magnetic states. An Ising anisotropy ($\lambda=J_{\perp}/J_z\ne 1$) is introduced and ground state energy and magnetization order parameter are calculated as a power seies expansion in $\lambda$. Series extrapolation methods are used to study properties for the Heisenberg model ($\lambda=1$). We find that at large $J_3$ ($>0.6$) there is a first order transition between N\'eel and columnar states, in agreement with the classical answer. For $J_3=0$, we find that the N\'eel phase extends beyond the region of classical stability. We also find that spiral phases are stabilized over large parameter regions, although their spiral angles can be substantially renormalized with respect to the classical values. Our study also shows a magnetically disordered region at intermedaite $J_2/J_1$ and $J_3/J_1$ values., Comment: 6 pages, 9 figures

We study a frustrated 3D antiferromagnet of stacked $J_1 - J_2$ layers. The intermediate 'quantum spin liquid' phase, present in the 2D case, narrows with increasing interlayer coupling and vanishes at a triple point. Beyond this there is a direct first-order transition from N{\' e}el to columnar order. Possible applications to real materials are discussed., Comment: 11 pages,7 figures

We use high-temperature series expansions to obtain thermodynamic properties of the quantum compass model, and to investigate the phase transition on the square and simple cubic lattices. On the square lattice we obtain evidence for a phase transition, consistent with recent Monte Carlo results. On the simple cubic lattice the same procedure provides no sign of a transition, and we conjecture that there is no finite temperature transition in this case., Comment: 6 pages, 2 figures

Motivated by the observation of spatially anisotropic exchange constants in the iron pnictide materials, we study the spin-wave spectra of the $J_{1a}-J_{1b}-J_{2}$ Heisenberg models on a square-lattice with nearest neighbor exchange $J_{1a}$ along x and $J_{1b}$ along y axis and a second neighbor exchange $J_2$. We focus on the regime, where the spins order at ($\pi,0$), and compute the spectra by systematic expansions around the Ising limit. We study both spin-half and spin-one Heisenberg models as well as a range of parameters to cover various cases proposed for the iron pnictide materials. The low-energy spectra have anisotropic spin-wave velocities and are renormalized with respect to linear spin-wave theory by up to 20 percent, depending on parameters. Extreme anisotropy, consisting of a ferromagnetic $J_{1b}=- |J_F|$, is best distinguished from a weak anisotropy ($J_{1a}\approx J_{1b}=J_1$, $J_2>J_1/2$) by the nature of the spin-waves near the wavevectors ($0,\pi$) or ($\pi,\pi$). The reported spectra for the pnictide material CaFe$_2$As$_2$ clearly imply such an extreme anisotropy., Comment: 6 pages, 10 figures

We revisit the problem of a single hole moving in the background of the two dimensional Heisenberg antiferromagnet. The hole is loosely bound by an impurity potential. We show that the bound state is generically a parity doublet: there are parametrically close bound states of opposite parity. Due to the degeneracy the bound state readily breaks local symmetries of the square lattice and this leads to formation of the long range spiral distortion of the antiferromagnetic background. A direct analogy with van der Waals forces in atomic physics is discussed.

Experiments with cold atoms trapped in optical lattices offer the potential to realize a variety of novel phases but suffer from severe spatial inhomogeneity that can obscure signatures of new phases of matter and phase boundaries. We use a high temperature series expansion to show that compressibility in the core of a trapped Fermi-Hubbard system is related to measurements of changes in double occupancy. This core compressibility filters out edge effects, offering a direct probe of compressibility independent of inhomogeneity. A comparison with experiments is made.

We calculate ground state properties (energy, magnetization, susceptibility) and one-particle spectra for the $S = 1$ Heisenberg antiferromagnet with easy-axis or easy-plane single site anisotropy, on the square lattice. Series expansions are used, in each of three phases of the system, to obtain systematic and accurate results. The location of the quantum phase transition in the easy-plane sector is determined. The results are compared with spin-wave theory., Comment: 13 pages, 13 figures

We investigate the critical behaviour of the spectral weight of a single quasiparticle, one of the key observables in experiment, for the particular case of the transverse Ising model.Series expansions are calculated for the linear chain and the square and simple cubic lattices. For the chain model, a conjectured exact result is discovered. For the square and simple cubic lattices, series analyses are used to estimate the critical exponents. The results agree with the general predictions of Sachdev., Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures

We revisit the phase transition from the N\'eel ordered to a valence bond solid (VBS) state in the two-dimensional $J_1-J_2$ antiferromagnetic Heisenberg model. In the first part we address the question whether or not this transition could be an example of a second order phase transition due to a deconfinement of spinons. We give arguments based on series expansion and spin-wave theory that this is not the case and the transition is most likely first order. The method proposed here to detect first order phase transitions seems to be very sensitive and might be useful in other models as well. In the second part we analyze possible VBS patterns in the magnetically disordered phase based on numerical data for different susceptibilities, obtained in the ordered phase, which test the breaking of lattice symmetries. We conclude that a columnar dimerization pattern is the most likely candidate., Comment: 7 pages, 7 figures, small changes, references added

We use high order linked cluster series to investigate the hard core boson model on the triangular lattice, at zero temperature. Our expansions, in powers of the hopping parameter $t$, probe the spatially ordered `solid' phase and the transition to a uniform superfluid phase. At the commensurate fillings $n=1/3, 2/3$ we locate a quantum phase transition point at $(t/V)_c\simeq 0.208(1)$, in good agreement with recent Monte Carlo studies. At half-filling ($n=1/2$) we find evidence for a solid phase, which persists to $t/V\simeq 0.06$., Comment: 13 pages, 7 figures

Spin and hole excitation spectra and spectral weights are calculated for the half-filled Hubbard model, as a function of $t/U$. We find that the high energy spin spectra are sensitive to charge fluctuations. The energy difference $\Delta(\pi,0)- \Delta(\pi/2,\pi/2)$, which is negative for the Heisenberg model, changes sign at a fairly small $t/U\approx 0.053(5)$. The hole bandwidth is proportional to $J$, and considerably larger than in the t-J models. It has a minimum at ($\pi/2,\pi/2$) and a very weak dispersion along the antiferromagnetic zone boundary. A good fit to the measured spin spectra in La$_2$CuO$_4$ at $T=10K$ is obtained with the parameter values $U=3.1{\rm eV}$, $t=0.35{\rm eV}$., Comment: 4 pages, 5 figures

We have extended our previous series studies of quantum antiferromagnets at zero temperature by computing the one-magnon dispersion curves and various structure factors for the linear chain, square and simple cubic lattices. Many of these results are new; others are a substantial extension of previous work. These results are directly comparable with neutron scattering experiments and we make such comparisons where possible., Comment: 15 pages, 12 figures, revised version

We estimate, using high-temperature series expansions, the transition temperatures of the spin 1/2, 1 and 3/2 Heisenberg ferromagnet and antiferromagnet in 3-dimensions. The manner in which the difference between Curie and Neel temperatures vanishes with increasing spin quantum number is investigated., Comment: 10 pages

We investigate ground state and finite temperature properties of the half-filled Hubbard model on a honeycomb lattice using quantum monte carlo and series expansion techniques. Unlike the square lattice, for which magnetic order exists at T=0 for any non-zero $U$, the honeycomb lattice is known to have a semi-metal phase at small $U$ and an antiferromagnetic one at large $U$. We investigate the phase transition at T=0 by studying the magnetic structure$and compressibility using quantum monte carlo simulations and by calculating the sublattice magnetization, uniform susceptibility, spin-wave and single hole %single-particle dispersion using series expansions around the ordered phase. Our results are consistent with a single continuous transition at $U_c/t$ in the range 4-5. Finite temperature signatures of this phase transition are seen in the behavior of the specific heat, $C(T)$, which changes from a two-peaked structure for $U>U_c$ to a one-peaked structure for $U < U_c$. Furthermore, the $U$ dependence of the low temperature coefficient of $C(T)$ exhibits an anomaly at $U \approx U_c$., Comment: 11 pages, 19 figures

Motivated by the recent discovery of superconductivity in Na$_x$CoO$_2\cdot y$H$_2$O, we use series expansion methods and cluster mean-field theory to study spontaneous charge order, Neel order, ferromagnetic order, dimer order and phase-separation in the triangular-lattice t-J-V model at 2/3 electron density. We find that for t<0, the charge ordered state, with electrons preferentially occupying a honeycomb lattice, is very robust. Quite surprisingly, hopping to the third sublattice can even enhance Neel order. At large negative t and small V, the Nagaoka ferromagnetic state is obtained. For large positive t, charge and Neel order vanish below a critical V, giving rise to an itinerant antiferromagnetically correlated state., Comment: 4 pages, 5 figures

We give a precise numerical solution for decorated Ising models on the simple cubic lattice which show ferromagnetism, compensation points, and reentrant behaviour. The models, consisting of $S={1\over 2}$ spins on a simple cubic lattice, and decorating S=1 or $S=3/2$ spins on the bonds, can be mapped exactly onto the normal spin-1/2 Ising model, whose properties are well known., Comment: 8 pages, 5 figures

The large $J_2$ limit of the square-lattice $J_1-J_2$ Heisenberg antiferromagnet is a classic example of order by disorder where quantum fluctuations select a collinear ground state. Here, we use series expansion methods and a meanfield spin-wave theory to study the excitation spectra in this phase and look for a finite temperature Ising-like transition, corresponding to a broken symmetry of the square-lattice, as first proposed by Chandra et al. (Phys. Rev. Lett. 64, 88 (1990)). We find that the spectra reveal the symmetries of the ordered phase. However, we do not find any evidence for a finite temperature phase transition. Based on an effective field theory we argue that the Ising-like transition occurs only at zero temperature., Comment: 4 pages and 5 figures

Linked cluster series expansions about the Ising limit are used to study ground state preperties, viz. ground state energy, magnetization and excitation spectra, for mixed spin S=(1/2,1) quantum ferrimagnets on simple bipartite lattices in 1, 2, and 3-dimensions. Results are compared to second-order spin wave theory and, in general, excellent agreement is obtained., Comment: 5 figures, 12 pages, revtex

We present new results for the Kondo lattice model of strongly correlated electrons, in 1-, 2-, and 3-dimensions, obtained from high-order linked-cluster series expansions. Results are given for varies ground state properties at half-filling, and for spin and charge excitations. The existence and nature of the predicted quantum phase transition are explored., Comment: revtex 4

Strong-coupling expansions, to order $(t/J)^8$, are derived for the Kondo lattice model of strongly correlated electrons, in 1-, 2- and 3- dimensions at arbitrary temperature. Results are presented for the specific heat, and spin and charge susceptibilities., Comment: revtex4

We have developed a series expansion method for calculating the zero-temperature properties of lattice electron models for variable electron density, i.e. for finite doping away from the half-filled case. This is done by introducing particle fluctuation terms in both the unperturbed Hamiltonian and perturbation. The method is demonstrated by application to the 2-chain $t-J$ ladder, where we provide comparison with previous work as well as obtaining a number of new results., Comment: 11 figures

New data for the two-dimensional J1-J2 model shows that the critical points for singlet and triplet excitations near J2/J1=0.38 are very close together, or coincident. We propose that this is a more general result: in strongly frustrated spin systems the critical dynamics of singlet and triplet excitations are closely related. An effective field theory for such a critical point, or points, is developed, and its implications discussed. The analysis suggests the existance of gapless or almost gapless singlet excitations in the magnetically disordered phase., Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures

Exchange couplings are calculated for Li2VOSiO4 using LDA. While the sum of in-plane couplings J_1 + J_2 = 9.5 \pm 1.5 K and the inter-plane coupling J_{perp} \sim 0.2 - 0.3 K agree with recent experimental data, the ratio J_2/J_1 \sim 12 exceeds the reported value by an order of magnitude. Using geometrical considerations, high temperature expansions and perturbative mean field theory, we show that the LDA derived exchange constants lead to a remarkably accurate description of the properties of these materials including specific heat, susceptibility, Neel temperature and NMR spectra., Comment: 4 two-column pages, 4 embedded postscript figures

The Shastry-Sutherland model, which provides a representation of the magnetic properties of SrCu$_2$(BO$_3$)$_2$, has been studied by series expansion methods at T=0. Our results support the existence of an intermediate phase between the N\'eel long-range ordered phase and the short-range dimer phase. They provide strong evidence against the existence of helical order in the intermediate phase, and and somewhat less strong evidence against a plaquette-singlet phase. The nature of the intermediate phase thus remains elusive. It appears to be gapless, or nearly so., Comment: RevTeX, 10 figures

We investigate the properties of S=1/2 Heisenberg clusters with random frustration using exact diagonalizations. This is a model for a quantum spin glass. We show that the average ground state spin is $S \propto \sqrt{N}$, where N is the number of sites. We also calculate the magnetic susceptibility and the spin stiffness and low-energy excitations, and discuss these in terms of a semiclassical picture., Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, 2 tables

We study the phase diagram of the spin-orbital model in both the weak and strong limits of the quartic spin-orbital exchange interaction. This allows us to study quantum phase transitions in the model and to approach from both sides the most interesting intermediate-coupling regime and in particular the SU(4)-symmetric point of the Hamiltonian. It was suggested earlier by Li et al [Phys.Rev.Lett. vol. 81, 3527 (1999)] that at this point the ground state of the system is a plaquette spin-orbital liquid. We argue that the state is more complex. There is plaquette order, but it is anisotropic: bonds in one direction are stronger than those in the perpendicular direction. This order is somewhat similar to that found recently in the frustrated J_1-J_2 Heisenberg spin model., Comment: 8 pages, 4 Postscript figures

We use perturbative series expansions about a staggered dimerized ground state to compute the ground state energy, triplet excitation spectra and spectral weight for a one-dimensional model in which each site has an $S=\case 1/2$ spin ${\bf S}_i$ and a pseudospin ${\bf T}_i$, representing a doubly degenerate orbital. An explicit dimerization is introduced to allow study of the confinement of spinon excitations. The elementary triplet represents a bound state of two spinons, and is stable over much of the Brillouine zone. A special line is found in the gapped spin-liquid phase, on which the triplet excitation is dispersionless. The formation of triplet bound states is also investigated., Comment: 9 pages, 9 figures

The Hubbard model on a two-leg ladder structure has been studied by a combination of series expansions at T=0 and the density-matrix renormalization group. We report results for the ground state energy $E_0$ and spin-gap $\Delta_s$ at half-filling, as well as dispersion curves for one and two-hole excitations. For small $U$ both $E_0$ and $\Delta_s$ show a dramatic drop near $t/t_{\perp}\sim 0.5$, which becomes more gradual for larger $U$. This represents a crossover from a "band insulator" phase to a strongly correlated spin liquid. The lowest-lying two-hole state rapidly becomes strongly bound as $t/t_{\perp}$ increases, indicating the possibility that phase separation may occur. The various features are collected in a "phase diagram" for the model., Comment: 10 figures, revtex

We analyze the phase diagram of the frustrated Heisenberg antiferromagnet, the J1-J2 model, in two dimensions. Two quantum phase transitions in the model are already known: the second order transition from the Neel state to the spin liquid state at (J_2/J_1)_{c2}=0.38, and the first order transition from the spin liquid state to the collinear state at (J_2/J_1)_{c4}=0.60. We have found evidence for two new second order phase transitions: the transition from the spin columnar dimerized state to the state with plaquette type modulation at (J_2/J_1)_{c3}=0.50(2), and the transition from the simple Neel state to the Neel state with spin columnar dimerization at (J_2/J_1)_{c1}=0.34(4). We also present an independent calculation of (J_2/J_1)_{c2}=0.38 using a new approach., Comment: 3 pages, 5 figures; added reference

We use linked cluster series expansion methods to estimate the values of various short distance correlation functions in $S=1/2$ Heisenberg antiferromagnets at T=0, for dimension $d=1,2,3$. The method incorporates the possibility of spontaneous symmetry breaking, which is manifest in $d=2,3$. The results are important in providing a test for approximate theories of the antiferromagnetic ground state., Comment: 4 figures, revtex

Series expansions at T=0 are used to study properties of the half-filled $t-J$ ladder doped with one or two holes, and at quarter filling. Dispersion curves are obtained for one-hole symmetric and antisymmetric (bonding and antibonding) excitations and for the two-hole bound state. The line in the phase diagram which separates bound and unbound states is determined. For quarter filling we compute the ground state energy and estimate the location of the phase separation line. Comparisons with other numerical and analytical results are presented., Comment: 9 figures, correct the error in Fig.3. to be appear in Phys. Rev. B

Ground state energies for plaquette and dimer order in the $J_1-J_2$ square-lattice spin-half Heisenberg model are compared using series expansion methods. We find that these energies are remarkably close to each other at intermediate values of $J_2/J_1$, where the model is believed to have a quantum disordered ground state. They join smoothly with those obtained from the Ising expansions for the 2-sublattice N\'eel-state at $J_2/J_1 \approx 0.4$, suggesting a second order transition from a N\'eel state to a quantum disordered state, whereas they cross the energy for the 4-sublattice ordered state at $J_2/J_1 \approx 0.6$ at a large angle, implying a first order transition to the 4-sublattice magnetic state. The strongest evidence that the plaquette phase is not realized in this model comes from the analysis of the series for the singlet and triplet excitation spectra, which suggest an instability in the plaquette phase. Thus, our study supports the recent work of Kotov et al, which presents a strong picture for columnar dimer order in this model. We also discuss the striped nature of spin correlations in this phase, with substantial resonance all along columns of dimers., Comment: RevTeX, 7 figures

We analyze the stability of the spontaneously dimerized spin-liquid phase of the frustrated Heisenberg antiferromagnet - the J1-J2 model. The lowest triplet excitation, corresponding to breaking of a singlet bond, is found to be stable in the region 0.38 < J2/J1 < 0.62. In addition we find a stable low-energy collective singlet mode, which is closely related to the spontaneous violation of the discrete symmetry. Both modes are gapped in the quantum disordered phase and become gapless at the transition point to the Neel ordered phase (J2/J1=0.38). The spontaneous dimerization vanishes at the transition and we argue that the disappearance of dimer order is related to the vanishing of the singlet gap. We also present exact diagonalization data on a small (4x4) cluster which indeed show a structure of the spectrum, consistent with that of a system with a four-fold degenerate (spontaneously dimerized) ground state., Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, small changes, published version

We have studied the excitation spectrum of the $S=1/2$ quantum spin ladder with staggered dimerization by dimer series expansions, diagrammatic analysis of an effective interacting Bose gas of local triplets, and exact diagonalization of small clusters. We find that the model has two massive phases, with predominant inter-chain (rung) or intra-chain correlations. The transition from the rung dimer into the intra-chain dimer phase is characterized by softening of the triplet spectrum at $k=\pi$. The excitation spectrum as well as the spin correlations away from and close to the critical line are calculated. The location of the phase boundary is also determined., Comment: 13 pages, 7 figures

We use a variety of series expansion methods at both zero and finite temperature to study an antiferromagnetic Heisenberg spin model proposed recently by Miyahara and Ueda for the quasi two-dimensional material SrCu$_2$(BO$_3$)$_2$. We confirm that this model exhibits a first-order quantum phase transition at T=0 between a gapped dimer phase and a gapless N\'eel phase when the ratio $x=J'/J$ of nearest and next-nearest neighbour interactions is varied, and locate the transition at $x_c=0.691(6)$. Using longer series we are able to give more accurate estimates of the model parameters by fitting to the high temperature susceptibility data., Comment: RevTeX, 13 figures

We study antiferromagnetic, $S=1/2$ Heisenberg models with nearest and second neighbor interactions on the one-fifth depleted square lattice which describes the spin degrees of freedom in the spin-gap system CaV$_4$O$_9$. The meta-plaquette expansion for the triplet excitation spectrum is extended to fifth order, and the results are compared with experimental data on CaV$_4$O$_9$. We attempt to locate the phase boundary between magnetically ordered and gapped phases., Comment: 4 figures

We study one and two hole properties of the t-J model at half-filling on the square lattice using series expansion methods at T=0. The dispersion curve for one hole excitations is calculated and found to be qualitatively similar to that obtained by other methods, but the bandwidth for small $t/J$ is some 20% larger than given previously. We also obtain the binding energy and dispersion relation for two hole bound states. The lowest bound state as $t/J$ increases is found to be first d-wave, and then p-wave, in accordance with predictions based upon the Kohn-Luttinger effect. We also make a similar study for the $t-J_z$ model., Comment: 19 pages, 12 figures

We analyze the ground state properties of the two-dimensional quantum antiferromagnet with a S=1/2 Kondo impurity. Perturbation theory around the strong Kondo coupling limit is developed and the results compared with studies, based on exact diagonalization of small clusters. We find that at intermediate coupling the impurity is partially screened and the magnetization locally suppressed. A local singlet between the impurity and the host spin is formed asymptotically., Comment: 12 REVTex pages, 4 Postscript figures