Spin diffusion in anisotropic Heisenberg chains: S≥1/2

In this paper, we investigate spin diffusion in Heisenberg chains with uniaxial nearest-neighbor interactions. The approach followed is based on an analysis of the infinite-temperature longitudinal spin density and spin current correlation functions. For S=1/2, exact results are presented for the time-dependent correlation functions in the XY limit. Away from this limit, the second and fourth moments of the Fourier transform of the spin density correlation function provide information about spin dynamics for arbitrary values of the spin. The moments are used in an assessment of the accuracy of the Gaussian approximation for the spin diffusion constant for S=1/2. The general behavior of the Gaussian approximation when S>1/2 is discussed, and numerical results for the spin diffusion constant are presented for S=1/2, 1, 3/2, 2 and in the classical limit. A moment-based criterion for the boundary in reciprocal space between diffusive and non-diffusive dynamics that applies to arbitrary values of the spin is presented.