Field-induced quantum criticality in low-dimensional Heisenberg spin systems

We study the quantum critical behavior in the antiferromagnetic Heisenberg chain and two-leg Heisenberg ladder resulting from the application of an external magnetic field. In each of these systems a finite-temperature crossover line between two different ferromagnetic phases ends with a quantum critical point at zero temperature. Using the bond-mean-field theory, we calculate the field dependence of the magnetization and the mean-field spin bond parameters in both systems. For the Heisenberg chain, we recover the existing exact results and show in addition that the saturation of the zero-temperature magnetization at the field h(c)=2J is accompanied by a quantum phase transition, where the bond parameter vanishes. Here J is the exchange coupling constant along the chain. For the two-leg ladder, we also recover the known results, like the two magnetization plateaus, and show that at the upper critical field, which corresponds to the appearance of the saturation magnetization plateau, the chain and rung spin bond parameters vanish. The identification of the order parameters that govern the field-induced quantum criticality in the systems we study here constitutes an original contribution. Because no long-range order, which breaks symmetry, characterizes the bond order, the latter could be a proposal for the so-called hidden order. We calculate analytically the bond parameters in both systems as functions of the field in the low- and high-field limits at zero temperature. At nonzero temperatures, the calculation of the magnetization and bond parameters is carried out by solving the mean-field equations numerically.