Randomness-induced quantum spin liquid behavior in the $s=\frac{1}{2}$ random $J_1$-$J_2$ Heisenberg antiferromagnet on the square lattice

Abstract

We investigate the ground-state and the finite-temperature properties of the bond-random $s=1/2$ Heisenberg model on a square lattice with frustrating nearest- and next-nearest-neighbor antiferromagnetic interactions, $J_1$ and $J_2$, by the exact diagonalization and the Hams--de Raedt methods. The ground-state phase diagram of the model is constructed in the randomness versus the frustration ($J_2/J_1$) plane, with the aim of clarifying the effects of randomness and frustration in stabilizing a variety of phases. We find that the randomness induces the gapless quantum spin liquid (QSL)-like state, the random-singlet state, together with the spin-glass state in a certain range of parameter space. The spin-glass state might be stabilized by employing the lattice directional degrees of freedom associated with the stripe-type magnetic order of the regular model. Possible implications to recent experiments on the square-lattice mixed-crystal antiferromagnet Sr$_2$Cu(Te$_{0.5}$W$_{0.5}$)O$_6$ exhibiting the gapless QSL-like behaviors are discussed.