Dynamically dominant excitations of string solutions in the spin-1/2 antiferromagnetic Heisenberg chain in magnetic fields

Abstract

Using Bethe-ansatz solutions, we uncover a well-defined continuum in dynamical structure factor $S^{+-}(k,ω)$ of the spin-1/2 antiferromagnetic Heisenberg chain in magnetic fields. It comes from string solutions which continuously connect the mode of the lowest-energy excitations in the zero-field limit and that of bound states of overturned spins from the ferromagnetic state near the saturation field. We confirm the relevance to real materials through comparisons with experimental results.

4 pages, 5 figures; to appear in Phys. Rev. Lett.