316 Ch.

6 Heisenberg Magnets

bonds cease to resonate. Let us consider the S = 1J2 isotropic Heisen-

berg chain with first- and second-neighbour interactions

3t = J1 C Sj * Sj+1 + J2 C S j * Sj+2 (6.139)

3 j

where we assume J1 > 0, JZ 2 0. In general, this presents a much

more difficult problem than the nearest-neighbour model. Let us note,
however, that in the special case J2 = J1/2, 3t can be rewritten as

3t = J Sj Sj+l+ (J/2) .
S j Sj+2 = (J/4) Pj + const (6.140)
j j j

where
Pj = (Sj-1 + sj + Sj+1)2 (6.141)
measures the total spin of three consecutive sites. Pj has the eigenvalues
+ +
15/4 and 3/4 for ISj-1 Sj Sj+l(= 3/2 and 1/2, respectively. If a
contribution 3/4 is picked up from every j , we have certainly reached the
possible lowest energy level; the question is whether we can find a state
in which none of the three-site clusters has a spin 3/2. This is achieved
by putting the spins pairwise in singlet bonds, because then of any three
consecutive spins, there will be two with combined spin 0, and the three
spins can only have a total spin 1/2. Thus = [12][34].. . [N - 1,N ] ,
or pictorially

=
1
-
2 3 4
...
...
- N -1
(6.142)

is definitely a ground state. Assuming the periodic boundary condition

N+l = 1, the state obtained by translating the bond pattern by one step
gives another ground state: = [23][45].. . [ N ,I]. There are no other
ground states. It has been shown that the twofold degenerate ground
state is separated from the excited states by a gap [lo]. Symmetry
breaking has occured, but in a manner which we may find unexpected
from a spin system: spin-rotational invariance remains intact, but the
(discrete) translational symmetry is broken.
is represented by a frozen pattern of bonds, giving an exam-
ple of valence bonds solids (in contrast to a resonating state which is