Bond-Alternation-Induced Topological Quantum Gaussian Transition and Topological Quantum Crossover in Ising Chains with the Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya Interaction

Abstract

Non-local orders, entanglement entropy, and quantum fidelity are investigated in an infinite-size bond-alternating Ising chain with the Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction by employing the infinite matrix product state representation with the infinite time evolving block decimation method. Directly computing two distinct types of finite string correlations for very large lattice distances, in contrast to an extrapolated extreme value for finite size chains, reveals two topologically ordered phases. As the bond alternation varies, a topological quantum phase transition with continuously variable critical exponents along the phase boundary occurs between the two Haldane phases for a Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction stronger than the Ising interaction while a topological quantum crossover between them happens through an intermediate antiferromagentic phase demonstrated with the quantum fidelity for a Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction weaker than the Ising interaction. The critical exponents of the order parameters and the central charges from the entanglement entropy quantify the universality classes of the phase transition points. Anisotropic Heisenberg types of spin chains with bond alternations are finally discussed to share the same criticality.