Variational study of the quantum phase transition in the bilayer Heisenberg model with bosonic RVB wavefunction.

We study the ground state phase diagram of the bilayer Heisenberg model on a square lattice with a bosonic resonating valence bond (RVB) wavefunction. The wavefunction has the form of a Gutzwiller projected Schwinger boson mean-field ground state and involves two variational parameters. We find the wavefunction provides an accurate description of the system on both sides of the quantum phase transition. In particular, through the analysis of the spin structure factor, ground state fidelity susceptibility and the Binder moment ratio Q(2), a continuous transition from the antiferromagnetic ordered state to the quantum disordered state is found at the critical coupling of α(c) = J(⊥)/J(∥) ≈ 2.62, in good agreement with the result of quantum Monte Carlo simulation. The critical exponent estimated from the finite size scaling analysis (1/ν ≈ 1.4) is consistent with that of the classical 3D Heisenberg universality class.