Density-matrix renormalization group study of the extended Kitaev-Heisenberg model

Abstract

We study an extended Kitaev-Heisenberg model including additional anisotropic couplings by using two-dimensional density-matrix renormalization group method. Calculating the gound-state energy, entanglement entropy, and spin-spin correlation functions, we make a phase diagram of the extended Kitaev-Heisenberg model around spin-liquid phase. We find a zigzag antiferromagnetic phase, a ferromagnetic phase, a 120-degree antiferromagnetic phase, and two kinds of incommensurate phases around the Kitaev spin-liquid phase. Furthermore, we study the entanglement spectrum of the model and find that entanglement levels in the Kitaev spin-liquid phase are degenerate forming pairs but those in the magnetically ordered phases are non-degenerate. The Schmidt gap defined as the energy difference between the lowest two levels changes at the phase boundary adjacent to the Kitaev spin-liquid phase. However, we find that phase boundaries between magnetically ordered phases do not necessarily agree with the change of the Schmidt gap.