Thermal Ising Transition in the Spin-1/2 J_{1}-J_{2} Heisenberg Model

Using an SU(2) invariant finite-temperature tensor network algorithm, we provide strong numerical evidence in favor of an Ising transition in the collinear phase of the spin-1/2 J_{1}-J_{2} Heisenberg model on the square lattice. In units of J_{2}, the critical temperature reaches a maximal value of T_{c}/J_{2}≃0.18 around J_{2}/J_{1}≃1.0. It is strongly suppressed upon approaching the zero-temperature boundary of the collinear phase J_{2}/J_{1}≃0.6, and it vanishes as 1/log(J_{2}/J_{1}) in the large J_{2}/J_{1} limit, as predicted by Chandra et al., [Phys. Rev. Lett. 64, 88 (1990)PRLTAO0031-900710.1103/PhysRevLett.64.88]. Enforcing the SU(2) symmetry is crucial to avoid the artifact of finite-temperature SU(2) symmetry breaking of U(1) algorithms, opening new perspectives in the investigation of the thermal properties of quantum Heisenberg antiferromagnets.