Static and dynamic properties of a dimerized quantum-spin chain

Abstract

Various static spin-correlation functions and the weights of the spin excitations, or collective normal modes, in the van Hove response function, observed in neutron scattering experiments, are calculated as a function of temperature for a model quantum-spin chain. The spins interact through an isotropic Heisenberg exchange that extends to nearest-neighbour spins. In our model, spins of magnitude 1/2 form a dimerized chain with alternating exchange interactions. We explore the static and dynamic properties for ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic exchange interactions. Results for the various properties are shown to be exact in the limit of a high temperature, and we argue that the results are very good at low temperatures. Unlike the case for linear spin-wave theory, the results are also exact in the limit of strong dimerization, i.e. non-interacting coupled pairs of spins.