Critical Behavior of Anisotropic Heisenberg Mixed-Spin Chains in a Field

Abstract

We numerically investigate the critical behavior of the spin-(1,1/2) Heisenberg ferrimagnet with anisotropic exchange coupling in a magnetic field. A quantized magnetization plateau as a function of the field, appearing at a third of the saturated magnetization, is stable over whole the antiferromagnetic coupling region. The plateau vanishes in the ferromagnetic coupling region via the Kosterlitz-Thouless transition. Comparing the quantum and classical magnetization curves, we elucidate what are essential quantum effects.