Solutions to the Problems 337

excitation energies be positive. Let us, however, observe that w ( k + 0) < 0

for A < 1, indicating that for a model with easy-plane a n i ~ o t r o p y the
~ ~ ,states
with maximum polarization in the z-direction are no longer ground states. In
fact, the ground state is expected to lie in the subspace S" = 0.
Problem 6.2. The total number of states in the Sto, = 0 subspace is C;,,,.
Herein included are the singlets, the Stat = 0 components of the triplets, and
the Sto, = 0 components of all the Stat > 1 levels. Similarly, all the levels
except the singlets have a component in Scot = 1 subspace. The number of
singlets is
(6.167)
Repeating the argument, the number of triplet levels is
L 6L
Nstot=l= G / 2 4 - CL/2-2 =G / 2 ( L + 2)(L + 4) * (6.168)

For large L, there are about three times (nine times) as many triplet levels
(states) than singlet levels (states).
Problem 6.3. It is amusing that the 16-dimensional eigenvalue problem can
be fully diagonalized with the help of symmetry arguments (i.e., any two eigen-
states differ in at least one quantum number).
The total spin S and its z-component S" are good quantum numbers.
Eigenstates can be sought in the form IS,S", k), where k = 0, f7r/2, T is the
Bloch wave number. For each multiplet, it is enough to consider the S" = S
state. The eigenenergy is denoted by &&&.
Since there is only one S" = 2 state, there is only one quintiplet. In obvious
notation,
1272) = I tttt) (6.169)
and
'?f412,2)= J12,2). (6.170)
The &z = J level is fivefold degenerate.

-
Out of the four S' = 1 states, one corresponds t o turning down 12,2): it
is 12,l) C jSJT 12,2), and it has the wavenumber k = 0. The k # 0 states
belong t o S = 1 triplets. For k = T we find

49Taking A = 0 gives the ferromagnetic z-y model. In spite of its apparent sim-
plicity, it presents a more difficult problem than the isotropic Heisenberg model; we
cannot even give its exact ground state in dimensions D > 1. One might have naively
assumed that a state maximally polarized in the z-direction would do, but it is not
an eigenstate of the model because S" and Su do not commute.