Modified spin-wave study of random antiferromagnetic-ferromagnetic spin chains

TL;DR

This paper extends the modified spin-wave theory to analyze the thermodynamics of one-dimensional quantum spin-1/2 chains with random antiferromagnetic impurities, revealing a crossover from ferromagnetic to Curie behavior influenced by impurity parameters.

Contribution

It introduces a generalized modified spin-wave approach for random spin chains, capturing the crossover phenomena and effects of impurity strength and concentration.

Findings

Successful description of high-temperature ferromagnetic behavior

Identification of low-temperature Curie behavior due to impurities

Analysis of impurity effects on crossover dynamics

Abstract

We study the thermodynamics of one-dimensional quantum spin-1/2 Heisenberg ferromagnetic system with random antiferromagnetic impurity bonds. In the dilute impurity limit, we generalize the modified spin-wave theory for random spin chains, where local chemical potentials for spin-waves in ferromagnetic spin segments are introduced to ensure zero magnetization at finite temperature. This approach successfully describes the crossover from behavior of pure one-dimensional ferromagnet at high temperatures to a distinct Curie behavior due to randomness at low temperatures. We discuss the effects of impurity bond strength and concentration on the crossover and low temperature behavior.