Structural transition, spontaneous formation of strong singlet dimers, and metamagnetism in S = 3 / 2 magnetoelastic spin chains

We study a one-dimensional antiferromagnetic-elastic model with magnetic ions having spin $S=3/2$. By extensive density matrix renormalization group (DMRG) computations and complementary analytical methods, we uncover a first-order transition from a homogeneous or weakly dimerized phase (a situation that could be similar to the well-known $S=1/2$ spin-Peierls effect) to a highly distorted phase, driven by the spin-phonon coupling $\ensuremath{\lambda}$. The striking characteristic of the second phase, present at large $\ensuremath{\lambda}$, is the appearance of weakly ferromagnetic (FM) couplings alternating with strong antiferromagnetic (AFM) ones (we dub it the FM-AFM phase) with a ground state close to a direct-product state of singlet dimers sitting on the AFM bonds. The behavior of the spin gap in both phases is studied by DMRG computation and contrasted with bosonization predictions and perturbation theory around the direct product of dimers. In the FM-AFM phase, robust magnetization plateaus and metamagnetic jumps appear under magnetic fields. The novel phase could be realized in 5d oxides of current interest, with giant spin-phonon coupling. Potential applications of the transition would be associated with the possibility of tuning the transition by external parameters such as striction, magnetic or electric fields, or alloying.