Finite temperature properties of an integrable zigzag ladder chain

Abstract

We consider the interaction-round-a-face version of the six-vertex model for arbitrary anisotropy parameter, which allow us to derive an integrable one-dimensional quantum Hamiltonian with three-spin interactions. We apply the quantum transfer matrix approach for the face model version of the six-vertex model. The integrable quantum Hamiltonian shares some thermodynamical properties with the Heisenberg XXZ chain, but has different ordering and critical exponents. Two gapped phases are the dimerized antiferromagnetic order and the usual antiferromagnetic (N\'eel) order for positive nearest neighbour Ising coupling. In between these, there is an extended critical region, which is a quantum spin-liquid with broken parity symmetry inducing an oscillatory behavior at the long distance $<\sigma_1^z\sigma_{\ell+1}^z>$ correlation. At finite temperatures, the numerical solution of the non-linear integral equations allows for the determination of the correlation length as well as for the momentum of the oscillation.