Finite Temperature Properties of the Mixed Diamond Chain with Spins 1 and 1/2

Abstract

We formulate statistical mechanics for the mixed diamond chain with spins of magnitudes 1 and 1/2. Owing to a series of conservation laws, any eigenstate of this system is decomposed into eigenstates of finite odd-length spin-1 chains. The ground state undergoes five quantum phase transitions with varying the parameter $\lambda$ controlling frustration. We obtain the values of the residual entropy and the Curie constant which characterize each phase and phase boundary at low temperatures. We further find various characteristic finite-temperature properties such as the nonmonotonic temperature dependence of the magnetic susceptibility, the multipeak structure in the $\lambda$-dependence of entropy, the plateau-like temperature dependence of entropy and the multipeak structure of specific heat.