Frustrated mixed-spin chains: Three-site interactions and flat-band magnons

Abstract

We investigate the ground-state phase diagram of frustrated mixed-spin (1, 1/2) chains with three-site four-spin interactions employing different approaches, such as cluster mean field theory, cluster variational method, and spin-wave theory. The interplay of next-nearest-neighbor and three-site interactions leads to a plethora of magnetic and nonmagnetic phases in the ground-state phase diagram. We show that aside from the ferromagnetic and Neel orders, the ground state possesses a magnetic phase in which magnon excitations are dispersionless. The emergence of flat-band magnons is a consequence of the inhomogeneity of our frustrated mixed-spin chains and does not occur in similar uniform spin chains. We also demonstrate that the presence of three-site interaction gives rise to various nonmagnetic phases, such as antiferroquadrupole order and quantum spin-liquid phase.