Spin-$\frac{1}{2}$ Heisenberg $J_1$-$J_2$ antiferromagnet on the kagome lattice

Abstract: We report variational Monte Carlo calculations for the spin-$\frac{1}{2}$ Heisenberg model on the kagome lattice in the presence of both nearest-neighbor $J_1$ and next-nearest-neighbor $J_2$ antiferromagnetic superexchange couplings. Our approach is based upon Gutzwiller projected fermionic states that represent a flexible tool to describe quantum spin liquids with different properties (e.g., gapless and gapped). We show that, on finite clusters, a gapped $\mathbb{Z}_{2}$ spin liquid can be stabilized in the presence of a finite $J_2$ superexchange, with a substantial energy gain with respect to the gapless $U(1)$ Dirac spin liquid. However, this energy gain vanishes in the thermodynamic limit, implying that, at least within this approach, the $U(1)$ Dirac spin liquid remains stable in a relatively large region of the phase diagram. For $J_2/J_1 \gtrsim 0.3$, we find that a magnetically ordered state with ${\bf q}={\bf 0}$ overcomes the magnetically disordered wave functions, suggesting the end of the putative gapless spin-liquid phase.