Dynamical Properties of a Haldane Gap Antiferromagnet

Abstract

We study the dynamic spin correlation function of a spin one antiferromagnetic chain with easy-plane single-ion anisotropy. We use exact diagonalization by the Lancz\H os method for chains of lengths up to N=16 spins. We show that a single-mode approximation is an excellent description of the dynamical properties. A variational calculation allows us to clarify the nature of the excitations. The existence of a two-particle continuum near zero wavevector is clearly seen both in finite-size effects and in the dynamical structure factor. The recent neutron scattering experiments on the quasi-one-dimensional antiferromagnet NENP are fully explained by our results.

14 pages, SphT/92-135 plain tex with Postscript figures included. Postscipt file available by anonymous ftp at amoco.saclay.cea.fr by get pubs.spht/92-135.ps local_file (290 kb) or get pubs.spht/92-135.ps.Z local_file.Z (compressed - 120 kb)