Spiral correlations in frustrated one-dimensional spin-1/2 Heisenberg J1–J2–J3 ferromagnets

We use the coupled cluster method for infinite chains complemented by exact diagonalization of finite periodic chains to discuss the influence of a third-neighbor exchange J(3) on the ground state of the spin-½ Heisenberg chain with ferromagnetic nearest-neighbor interaction J(1) and frustrating antiferromagnetic next-nearest-neighbor interaction J(2). A third-neighbor exchange J(3) might be relevant to describe the magnetic properties of the quasi-one-dimensional edge-shared cuprates, such as LiVCuO(4) or LiCu(2)O(2). In particular, we calculate the critical point J(2)(c) as a function of J(3), where the ferromagnetic ground state gives way for a ground state with incommensurate spiral correlations. For antiferromagnetic J(3) the ferro-spiral transition is always continuous and the critical values J(2)(c) of the classical and the quantum model coincide. On the other hand, for ferromagnetic J3 is < or approximately equal to -(0.01...0.02)|J1|. the critical value J(2)(c) of the quantum model is smaller than that of the classical model. Moreover, the transition becomes discontinuous, i.e. the model exhibits a quantum tricritical point. We also calculate the height of the jump of the spiral pitch angle at the discontinuous ferro-spiral transition.