Phase diagram of the Kondo model on the zigzag ladder

The effect of next-nearest-neighbor hopping $t_{2}$ on the ground-state phase diagram of the one-dimensional Kondo lattice is studied with density-matrix renormalization-group techniques and by comparing with the phase diagram of the classical-spin variant of the same model. For a finite $t_{2}$, i.e., for a zigzag-ladder geometry, indirect antiferromagnetic interactions between the localized spins are geometrically frustrated. We demonstrate that $t_{2}$ at the same time triggers several magnetic phases which are absent in the model with nearest-neighbor hopping only. For strong $J$, we find a transition from antiferromagnetic to incommensurate magnetic short-range order, which can be understood entirely in the classical-spin picture. For weaker $J$, a spin-dimerized phase emerges, which spontaneously breaks the discrete translation symmetry. The phase is not accessible to perturbative means but is explained, on a qualitative level, by the classical-spin model as well. Spin dimerization alleviates magnetic frustration and is interpreted as a key to understand the emergence of quasi-long-range spiral magnetic order which is found at weaker couplings. The phase diagram at weak $J$, with gapless quasi-long-range order on top of the two-fold degenerate spin-dimerized ground state, competing with a nondegenerate phase with gapped spin (and charge) excitations, is unconventional and eludes an effective low-energy spin-only theory.