Critical spin-$\frac{1}{2}$ tetramer compound CuInVO$_5$: Exploring the vicinity of two multimerized singlet states

Abstract: Using the density-matrix renormalization group technique, we study a one-dimensional spin-$\frac{1}{2}$ Heisenberg chain consisting of coupled tetramers as an effective spin model for copper vanadate CuInVO$_5$. We obtain the ground-state phase diagram as a function of intra-tetramer and inter-tetramer exchange interactions, exhibiting two multimerized valence-bond-solid (VBS) phases : one is characterized by the formation of tetramer-singlet units; the other by the formation of dimer-singlet pairs. We show that the finite spin gaps in both the VBS phases smoothly vanish at the phase boundary: a second order phase transition defining a quantum critical point (QCP). The phase boundary is also captured by the fact that the central charge is unity at the phase boundary and zero otherwise in the thermodynamic limit. We further demonstrate that the experimental magnetization curve (which starts increasing with zero or tiny field) can be reasonably explained only by assuming the exchange parameters of CuInVO$_5$ to be very close to the phase boundary. Thus, we argue that CuInVO$_5$ may be a first example material which at ambient pressure stands near a QCP between two VBS phases. By varying the balance of exchange interactions with pressure, a transition from N\'eel to either of the VBS phases could be observed.