1987/10/01 by Ian Affleck, F. D. M. Haldane · 17 citations
Physics and Astronomy · Mathematics · #Physics of Superconductivity and Magnetism #Advanced Condensed Matter Physics #Algebraic structures and combinatorial models #Physics #Spin (aerodynamics) #Conformal field theory #Mathematical physics #Integer (computer science) #Integrable system #Hubbard model #Wess–Zumino–Witten model #Sigma model #Quantum mechanics #Coupling constant #Theoretical physics #Conformal map #Superconductivity #Mathematics
paper · doi:10.1103/physrevb.36.5291
openalex publication_date 1987/10/01 · openalex created_date 2016/06/24 · openalex updated_date 2026/06/16
The relation between quantum spin chains and conformal field theories is reexamined. Using a generalized Hubbard model representation it is argued that the critical theory for generic half-odd-integer spin antiferromagnets is the Wess-Zumino-Witten model (WZW model) with topological coupling, k=1, whereas generic integer spin antiferromagnets have an energy gap. The higher-k WZW models (which describe integrable higher spin models) are multicritical points in the space of all spin Hamiltonians. The k=1 WZW model represents a stable fixed point for many theories including WZW models of arbitrary odd k with relevant operators added, generalized Hubbard or Thirring models with an odd number of colors and the O(3) \ensuremathσ model at topological angle \ensuremathθ=\ensuremathπ.