Accurate quantum critical points and nonlocal string order parameters in the spin tetrahedron chain

Abstract The ground-state phase diagram and nonlocal order parameters of an infinite spin tetrahedron chain with inhomogeneous exchange couplings are investigated. It is shown that the phase boundaries of the three phases in the model can be determined precisely, in line with the precision of its ground-state energy. Numerical calculations using the regularized time-evolving block decimation (rTEBD) algorithm yield the locations of the two quantum critical points with an accuracy about 10 digits. Moreover, we explain how to calculate the parity-associated string order for the output wave function obtained through the rTEBD procedure, which not only reveals the presence of long-range correlations but also identifies the symmetry-protected topological order within the intermediate phase of the model.