Quantum phase transition and sliding Luttinger liquid in coupled t-J chains

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Using a recently proposed perturbative numerical renormalization-group algorithm, we explore the connection between quantum criticality and the emergence of Luttinger liquid physics in t-J chains coupled by frustrated interactions. This study is built on an earlier finding that at the maximally frustrated point, the ground state of weakly-coupled Heisenberg chains is disordered, the transverse exchanges being irrelevant. This result is extended here to transverse couplings up to J⊥=0.6, and we argue that it may also be valid at the isotropic point. A finite size analysis of coupled Heisenberg chains in the vicinity of the maximally frustrated point confirms that the transverse spin-spin correlations decay exponentially while the longitudinal ones revert to those of decoupled chains. We find that this behavior persists upon moderate hole doping x 0.75. For larger doping, the frustration becomes inactive and the quantum critical point is suppressed.