Effects of edges in spin-1/2 bond-alternating Heisenberg chains:   Matrix-product variational approach
  We make a matrix-product variational approach to spin-1/2 ferromagnetic-antiferromagnetic bond-alternating chains with anisotropy on their ferromagnetic bonds, especially under the open boundary condition. The rich phase diagram containing the Haldane, large-D, and two types of Neel phases is well reproduced with only two variational parameters. The on-bond anisotropy has a significant effect on the ferromagnetic coupling between neighboring spins and induces novel edge states peculiar to spin-1/2 chains. 
Kei-ichi Funase and Shoji Yamamoto