Coexistence of spin ordering on ladders and spin dimer formation in a new-structure-type compound Sr2Co3S2O3

Easing the Monte Carlo sign problem

Quantum Monte Carlo (QMC) methods are the gold standard for studying equilibrium properties of quantum many-body systems. However, in many interesting situations, QMC methods are faced with a sign problem, causing the severe limitation of an exponential increase in the runtime of the QMC algorithm. In this work, we develop a systematic, generally applicable, and practically feasible methodology for easing the sign problem by efficiently computable basis changes and use it to rigorously assess the sign problem. Our framework introduces measures of non-stoquasticity that-as we demonstrate analytically and numerically-at the same time provide a practically relevant and efficiently computable figure of merit for the severity of the sign problem. Complementing this pragmatic mindset, we prove that easing the sign problem in terms of those measures is generally an NP-complete task for nearest-neighbor Hamiltonians and simple basis choices by a reduction to the MAXCUT-problem.

Consequences of residual-entropy hierarchy violation for behavior of the specific heat capacity in frustrated magnetic systems: An exact theoretical analysis

We investigate in detail the influence of the violation of the strict residual-entropy hierarchy among the neighboring ground states of different orders on the low-temperature behavior of the specific heat capacity in the magnetic frustrated systems in the framework of the exactly solvable antiferromagnetic spin-1/2 Ising model with the multisite interaction in the presence of the external magnetic field on the zigzag ladder. The exact expressions for the residual entropies of all ground states of the model are found, and it is shown that when the strength of the multisite interaction is strong enough then the model exhibits a quite interesting specific situation, namely, that there exist neighboring plateau ground states together with the single-point ground state that separates them, such that the magnetization properties of all of them are different but their entropy per site is the same and equal to zero. It is shown that this fact of the violation of the strict residual-entropy hierarchy between neighboring ground states of different orders leads to the reduction of the possible number of peaks that can appear in the low-temperature behavior of the specific heat capacity in the corresponding regions of the model parametric space. In addition, it is also shown that the absence of the strict residual-entropy hierarchy among neighboring ground states of different orders changes qualitatively the behavior of the specific heat capacity as a function of the external magnetic field, namely, that the typical field-induced sharp double-peak structure in the low-temperature behavior of the specific heat capacity, which is directly related to the very existence of the highly macroscopically degenerated single-point ground states, disappears already for relatively large values of the temperature.

Complex Magnetic Ordering in the Oxide Selenide Sr2Fe3Se2O3

Sr₂Fe₃Se₂O₃ is a localized-moment iron oxide selenide in which two unusual coordinations for Fe²⁺ ions form two sublattices in a 2:1 ratio. In the paramagnetic region at room temperature, the compound adopts the crystal structure first reported for Sr₂Co₃S₂O₃, crystallizing in space group Pbam with a = 7.8121 Å, b = 10.2375 Å, c = 3.9939 Å, and Z = 2. The sublattice occupied by two-thirds of the iron ions (Fe2 site) is formed by a network of distorted mer-[FeSe₃O₃] octahedra linked via shared Se₂ edges and O vertices forming layers, which connect to other layers by shared Se vertices. As shown by magnetometry, neutron powder diffraction, and Mössbauer spectroscopy measurements, these moments undergo long-range magnetic ordering below T_N1 = 118 K, initially adopting a magnetic structure with a propagation vector (1/2 - δ, 0, 1/2) (0 ≤ δ ≤ 0.1) which is incommensurate with the nuclear structure and described in the Pbam1 '( a01/2)000 s magnetic superspace group, until at 92 K ( T_INC) there is a first order lock-in transition to a structure in which these Fe2 moments form a magnetic structure with a propagation vector (1/2, 0, 1/2) which may be modeled using a 2 a × b × 2 c expansion of the nuclear cell in space group 36.178 B _a b2₁ m (BNS notation). Below T_N2 = 52 K the remaining third of the Fe²⁺ moments (Fe1 site) which are in a compressed trans-[FeSe₄O₂] octahedral environment undergo long-range ordering, as is evident from the magnetometry, the Mössbauer spectra, and the appearance of new magnetic Bragg peaks in the neutron diffractograms. The ordering of the second set of moments on the Fe1 sites results in a slight reorientation of the majority moments on the Fe2 sites. The magnetic structure at 1.5 K is described by a 2 a × 2 b × 2 c expansion of the nuclear cell in space group 9.40 I _a b (BNS notation).

Successive Phase Transitions in Fe2+ Ladder Compounds Sr2Fe3Ch2O3 (Ch = S, Se)

Small single crystals of Sr₂Fe₃Ch₂O₃ (Ch = S, Se) have been synthesized by flux methods, and bulk materials have been obtained by solid state reactions. Both compounds are isostructural to the compound Sr₂Co₃S₂O₃ (space group Pbam), which contains a novel hybrid spin ladder: a combination of a 2-leg rectangular ladder and a necklace ladder. The 2-leg ladder acts as a well-defined magnetic entity, while intimate magnetic coupling to the necklace ladder induces three successive phase transitions in the range of 40-120 K in each composition (Ch = S or Se), as revealed by Mössbauer spectroscopy, thermodynamics, and magnetometry. The complex magnetic behaviors can be explained by the unique spin-lattice topology.