Quantum disorder and Griffiths singularities in bond-diluted two-dimensional Heisenberg antiferromagnets

Abstract

We investigate quantum phase transitions in the spin-1/2 Heisenberg antiferromagnet on square lattices with inhomogeneous bond dilution. It is shown that quantum fluctuations can be continuously tuned by inhomogeneous bond dilution, eventually leading to the destruction of long-range magnetic order on the percolating cluster. Two multicritical points are identified at which the magnetic transition separates from the percolation transition, introducing a novel quantum phase transition. Beyond these multicritical points a quantum-disordered phase appears, characterized by an infinite percolating cluster with short ranged antiferromagnetic order. In this phase, the low-temperature uniform susceptibility diverges algebraically with non-universal exponents. This is a signature that the novel quantum-disordered phase is a quantum Griffiths phase, as also directly confirmed by the statistical distribution of local gaps. This study thus presents evidence of a genuine quantum Griffiths phenomenon in a two-dimensional Heisenberg antiferromagnet.