Magnetization Plateaux as a Roadmap to Quantum Spin Liquids
Phys. Rev. Lett. 137, 116702 – Published 8 September, 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/tkpx-sq6n
Abstract
We investigate the spin- triangular-lattice Heisenberg antiferromagnet in a magnetic field by combining large-scale density matrix renormalization group (DMRG) simulations with self-consistent spin-wave theory. The resulting field-coupling phase diagram reveals that quantum fluctuations stabilize coplanar order across the entire parameter range, giving rise to a characteristic sequence of magnetization plateaux. Near the quantum-spin-liquid window , which extends to magnetic field , we identify overlapping and plateaux—a distinctive hallmark of the system’s proximity to the low-field spin-liquid regime. The excellent quantitative agreement between DMRG and self-consistent one-loop spin-wave calculations demonstrates that semiclassical approaches can reliably capture and parameterize the plateau phases of triangular quantum antiferromagnets.