Quantum Monte Carlo study of the spin-1/2 Heisenberg model

Abstract

Thermodynamic properties of the spin-1/2 Heisenberg ferromagnet are calculated by using Handscomb's Monte Carlo method. Several methods of analyses are used to determine critical properties of the model. For a square lattice we find that the susceptibility diverges exponentially at zero temperature. That is, \ensuremath{\chi}\ensuremath{\sim}exp[b(J/${\mathit{k}}_{\mathit{B}}$T)] with the constant b=4.5\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.5, which is lower than the prediction (b=2\ensuremath{\pi}) of a modified spin-wave theory. For the simple-cubic lattice, we find that the critical temperature ${\mathit{k}}_{\mathit{B}}$${\mathit{T}}_{\mathit{c}}$/J=1.68\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.01, and the ratio of the exponents \ensuremath{\gamma}/\ensuremath{\nu}=2.0\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.05, which are in good agreement with the estimates of the high-temperature series-expansion method.