Critical Behaviour of Mixed Heisenberg Chains

The critical behaviour of anisotropic Heisenberg models with two kinds of antiferromagnetically exchange-coupled centers are studied numerically by using finite-size calculations and conformal invariance. These models exhibit the interesting property of ferrimagnetism instead of antiferromagnetism. Most of our results are centered in the mixed Heisenberg chain where we have at even (odd) sites a spin-S (S′) SU(2) operator interacting with a XXZ like interaction (anisotropy ∆). Our results indicate universal properties for all these chains. The whole phase, 1 > ∆ > −1, where the models change from ferromagnetic (∆ = 1) to ferrimagnetic (∆ = −1) behaviour is critical. Along this phase the critical fluctuations are ruled by a c = 1 conformal field theory of Gaussian type. The conformal dimensions and critical exponents, along this phase, are calculated by studying these models with several boundary conditions.