Lanczos study of the S=1/2 frustrated square-lattice anti-ferromagnet in a magnetic field

We study the zero-temperature phase diagram of the frustrated square-lattice S = 1/2 anti-ferromagnet in an external magnetic field numerically with the Lanczos algorithm. For strong frustration, we find disordered phases at high (and low) magnetic fields. Between these two disordered phases, we find a plateau in the magnetization curve at half of the saturation magnetization, which corresponds to a state with up-up-up-down (uuud) spin order. This and other considerations (M.E. Zhitomirsky, A. Honecker, and O.A. Petrenko. Phys. Rev. Lett. 85, 3269 (2000).) suggest an unusual ordering scenario. There is an ordered phase with a spin gap (the plateau) and disordered magnetically gapless phases above and below. The transition to saturation is studied in further detail and problematic conclusions in earlier investigations of this region are pointed out.