The Kondo effect in a one-dimensional spin-1/2 XXZ model in the gaples
s XY regime (-1 < Delta less than or equal to 1) is studied both analy
tically and numerically. In our model an impurity spin (S = 1/2) is co
upled to a single spin in the XXZ spin chain. Perturbative renormaliza
tion-group (RG) analysis is performed for various limiting cases to de
duce low-ene;gy fixed points. It is shown that in the ground state the
impurity spin is screened by forming a singlet with a spin in the hos
t XXZ chain. In the antiferromagnetic side (0 < Delta less than or equ
al to 1) the host chain is cut into two semi-infinite chains by the si
nglet. In the ferromagnetic side (-1 < Delta < 0); on the other hand,
the host XXZ chain remains as a single chain through ''healing'' of a
weakened bond;in the low-energy (long-distance) limit. The density-mat
rix renormalization-group method is used to study the size scaling of
finite-size energy gaps and the power-law decay of correlation functio
ns in the ground state. The numerical results are in good agreement wi
th the predictions of the RG analysis. Low-temperature behaviors of sp
ecific heat and susceptibility are also discussed.