Exact and numerical results for a dimerized coupled spin-1/2 chain

We establish exact results for coupled spin-1/2 chains for special values of the four-spin interaction V and dimerization parameter delta. The first exact result is at delta = 1/2 and V = -2. Because we find a very small but finite gap in this dimerized chain, this can serve as a very strong test case for numerical and approximate analytical techniques. The second result is for the homogeneous chain with V = -4 and gives evidence that the system has a spontaneously dimerized ground state. Numerical diagonalization and bosonization techniques indicate that the interplay between dimerization and interaction could result in gapless phases in the regime 0 less than or equal to V < -2.