Onset of Incommensurability in Quantum Spin Chains

Abstract

In quantum spin chains, it has been observed that the incommensurability occurs near valence-bond-solid (VBS)-type solvable points, and the correlation length becomes shortest at VBS-type points. In addition, the correlation function decays purely exponentially at VBS-type points, in contrast with the two-dimensional (2D) Ornstein-Zernicke type behavior in other regions with an excitation gap. We propose a mechanism to explain the onset of the incommensurability and the shortest correlation length at VBS-like points. This theory can be applied to more general cases.