Spin order, spin excitations, and RIXS spectra of spin-1/2 tetramer chains

Abstract

We investigate the spin dynamics of a 1D spin-1/2 Heisenberg tetramer chain. Employing a combination of Density Matrix Renormalization Group, quantum renormalization group, and perturbation theory techniques, we compute the energy levels and the quantum phase diagram, analyze the phase transitions, and evaluate the $L$ and $K$ -edge resonant inelastic x-ray scattering (RIXS) spectrum of fractionalized and collective (single and multi-particle) excitations. Our calculations suggest that the chain can transition between a hidden $Z_2\times Z_2$ discrete symmetry preserving tetramer phase and a Haldane phase with non-vanishing string order that breaks the hidden symmetry. These two gapped phases are intervened by an intermediate deconfined quantum critical state comprising of free spins and three-site doublets, which is a gapless critical phase with deconfined spinons. We find that the tetramer chain can support fractionalized (spinon) and collective (triplon and quinton) excitations. In the ferromagnetic intra-tetramer limit, the chain can support a quinton excitation which has a five-fold degenerate excited state. String order parameter calculations suggest CuInVO$_5$ to be in a Haldane-like phase whose $L$ -edge RIXS spectrum can support observable triplon and quinton excitations. We also identify possible two-particle excitations (two-singlon, two-triplon, triplon-quinton, and two-quinton excitations) resulting from the double spin-flip effect in the $K$ -edge RIXS spectrum.