Quantum non-Markovian Langevin equations and transport coefficients

Quantum diffusion equations featuring explicitly time-dependent transport coefficients are derived from generalized non-Markovian Langevin equations. Generalized fluctuation-dissipation relations and analytic expressions for calculating the friction and diffusion coefficients in nuclear processes are obtained. The asymptotic behavior of the transport coefficients and correlation functions for a damped harmonic oscillator that is linearly coupled in momentum to a heat bath is studied. The coupling to a heat bath in momentum is responsible for the appearance of the diffusion coefficient in coordinate. The problem of regression of correlations in quantum dissipative systems is analyzed.     

Numerical renormalization-group study of the Bose-Fermi Kondo model

We extend the numerical renormalization-group method to Bose-Fermi Kondo models (BFKMs), describing a local moment coupled to a conduction band and a dissipative bosonic bath. We apply the method to the Ising-symmetry BFKM with a bosonic bath spectral function eta(omega) proportional omega(s), of interest in connection with heavy-fermion criticality. For 0 < s < 1, an interacting critical point, characterized by hyperscaling of exponents and omega/T scaling, describes a quantum phase transition between Kondo-screened and localized phases. A connection is made to other results for the BFKM and the spin-boson model.     

Peculiarities of two-photon impurity absorption spectra in a quantum molecule with a tunnel-transparent potential barrier

The effect of dissipative tunneling parameters on the spectral dependence of the probability of two-photon impurity absorption in a quantum molecule is theoretically investigated. The effect of the tunnel barrier transparency on two-photon impurity absorption in a quantum molecule is shown to manifest itself as a change in the width of energy levels of the virtual and final states due to variations in such parameters of dissipative tunneling as temperature, photon-mode frequency, and the constant of interaction with a heat bath.     

Breakdown of a topological phase: quantum phase transition in a loop gas model with tension

We study the stability of topological order against local perturbations by considering the effect of a magnetic field on a spin model--the toric code--which is in a topological phase. The model can be mapped onto a quantum loop gas where the perturbation introduces a bare loop tension. When the loop tension is small, the topological order survives. When it is large, it drives a continuous quantum phase transition into a magnetic state. The transition can be understood as the condensation of "magnetic" vortices, leading to confinement of the elementary "charge" excitations. We also show how the topological order breaks down when the system is coupled to an Ohmic heat bath and relate our results to error rates for topological quantum computations.     

Hidden Caldeira-Leggett dissipation in a Bose-Fermi Kondo model

We show that the Bose-Fermi Kondo model (BFKM), which may find applicability both to certain dissipative mesoscopic qubit devices and to heavy-fermion systems described by the Kondo lattice model, can be mapped exactly onto the Caldeira-Leggett model. This mapping requires an ohmic bosonic bath and an Ising-type coupling between the latter and the impurity spin. This allows us to conclude unambiguously that there is an emergent Kosterlitz-Thouless quantum phase transition in the BFKM with an ohmic bosonic bath. By applying a bosonic numerical renormalization group approach, we thoroughly probe physical quantities close to the quantum phase transition.     

Critical and strong-coupling phases in one- and two-bath spin-boson models

For phase transitions in dissipative quantum impurity models, the existence of a quantum-to-classical correspondence has been discussed extensively. We introduce a variational matrix product state approach involving an optimized boson basis, rendering possible high-accuracy numerical studies across the entire phase diagram. For the sub-Ohmic spin-boson model with a power-law bath spectrum ∝ω(s), we confirm classical mean-field behavior for s<1/2, correcting earlier numerical renormalization-group results. We also provide the first results for an XY-symmetric model of a spin coupled to two competing bosonic baths, where we find a rich phase diagram, including both critical and strong-coupling phases for s<1, different from that of classical spin chains. This illustrates that symmetries are decisive for whether or not a quantum-to-classical correspondence exists.     

Dynamics of topological defects in a spiral: a scenario for the spin-glass phase of cuprates

We propose that the dissipative dynamics of topological defects in a spiral state is responsible for the transport properties in the spin-glass phase of cuprates. Using the collective-coordinate method, we show that topological defects are coupled to a bath of magnetic excitations. By integrating out the bath degrees of freedom, we find that the dynamical properties of the topological defects are dissipative. The calculated damping matrix is related to the in-plane resistivity, which exhibits an anisotropy and linear temperature dependence in agreement with experimental data.     

Model study of dissipation in quantum phase transitions

We consider a prototypical system of an infinite range transverse field Ising model coupled to a bosonic bath. By integrating out the bosonic degrees, an effective anisotropic Heisenberg model is obtained for the spin system. The phase diagram of the latter is calculated as a function of coupling to the heat bath and the transverse magnetic field. Collective excitations at low temperatures are assessed within a spin-wave like analysis that exhibits a vanishing energy gap at the quantum critical point. We also discuss the possible realization and application of the model in different physical systems.     

On the quantum langevin equation

The quantum Langevin equation is the Heisenberg equation of motion for the (operator) coordinate of a Brownian particle coupled to a heat bath. We give an elementary derivation of this equation for a simple coupled-oscillator model of the heat bath.Deceased.     

Quantum Dynamics of a Harmonic Oscillator in a Defomed Bath in the Presence of Lamb Shift

In this paper, we investigate the dissipative quantum dynamics of a harmonic oscillator in the presence a deformed bath by considering the Lamb shift term. The deformed bath is modelled by a collection of deformed quantum harmonic oscillators as a generalization of Hopfield model. The Langevin equation for both the photon number and the fluctuation spectrum under the Weisskopf–Winger approximation are obtained and discussed.     

Correlated electrons in a dissipative environment

When a system of correlated electrons is embedded in a dissipative environment, new emergent phenomena might occur due to the interplay of correlation and dissipation. Here we focus on quantum impurity systems with coupling to a bosonic bath. For the theoretical investigation we introduce the bosonic numerical renormalization group method which has been initially set up for the spin-boson model. The role of both correlations and dissipation is described in the context of two-electron transfer systems. We also discuss prospects for the investigation of lattice models of correlated electrons with coupling to a dissipative bath.     

Investigation of Noise-Induced Escape Rate: A Quantum Mechanical Approach

A quantum system coupled to a heat-bath in non-equilibrium environment is considered to study the problem of noise-induced escape rate from a metastable state in the moderate to strong friction limit (Kramers’ regime). It is known that starting from an initial coherent state representation of bath oscillators, one can derive a c-number generalized quantum Langevin equation where the quantum correction terms appear as a coupled infinite set of hierarchy of equations. For practical purpose, one should truncate these equations after a certain order. In our present development, we calculate the quantum correction terms in a closed analytical form based on a systematic perturbation technique and then derive the lowest order quantum correction factor exactly in the case of an Ohmic dissipative bath. Finally, to demonstrate its applicability, the effective equation of motions has been used to study the barrier crossing dynamics which incorporates the quantum correction factors.     

Current in open quantum systems

We show that a dissipative current component is present in the dynamics generated by a Liouville-master equation, in addition to the usual component associated with Hamiltonian evolution. The dissipative component originates from coarse graining in time, implicit in a master equation, and needs to be included to preserve current continuity. We derive an explicit expression for the dissipative current in the context of the Markov approximation. Finally, we illustrate our approach with a simple numerical example, in which a quantum particle is coupled to a harmonic phonon bath and dissipation is described by the Pauli master equation.     

One-Way Deficit and Quantum Phase Transitions in <Emphasis Type="Italic">XX</Emphasis> Model

Quantum correlations including entanglement and quantum discord have drawn much attention in characterizing quantum phase transitions. Quantum deficit originates in questions regarding work extraction from quantum systems coupled to a heat bath (Oppenheim et al. Phys. Rev. Lett. 89, 180402, 2002). It links quantum thermodynamics with quantum correlations and provides a new standpoint for understanding quantum non-locality. In this paper, we evaluate the one-way deficit of two adjacent spins in the bulk for the XX model. In the thermodynamic limit, the XX model undergoes a first order transition from fully polarized to a critical phase with quasi-long-range order with decrease of quantum parameter. We find that the one-way deficit becomes nonzero after the critical point. Therefore, the one-way deficit characterizes the quantum phase transition in the XX model.     

Dynamical behavior of a mesoscopic circuit in phonons bath derived by virtue of the IWOP technique

Taking into account the interactions between electrons and phonons, we study the dynamic behavior of a dissipative mesoscopic circuit for pure initial coherent state of phonon bath modes by virtue of the IWOP technique. It shows that if the bath modes are initially in coherent states, some phenomena like Brownian behavior will appear in mean charge and current of the mesoscopic circuit. The quantum fluctuations of charge and current are constant and irrelevant to the coupled coefficients between electrons and phonons.     

Dissipative contributions of internal multiplicative noise: I. mechanical oscillator

Langevin equations for closed systems with multiplicative fluctuations must also include appropriate dissipative terms that ensure eventual equilibration of the system. We consider an oscillator coupled to a heat bath and show that a particular nonlinear coupling to a harmonic heat bath leads to a fluctuating frequency and to nonlinear dissipative terms. We also analyze the effects of the multiplicative fluctuations and of the corresponding nonlinear dissipation on the temporal evolution of the average oscillator energy. We find that the rate of equilibration of this system can be significantly different from that of an oscillator with only additive fluctuations and linear dissipation.     

Role of environment and confinement in quantum dissipative dynamics: A pedestrian approach

In this paper, the long time and short time behavior of a free quantum Brownian particle and of a quantum harmonic oscillator coupled to a quantum heat bath is investigated for different spectral density functions. Not only are the usual Ohmic, Drude or radiation heat bath schemes employed to derive explicit expressions for the generalized susceptibility χ(t)$\chi \left(t\right)$ and the position correlation function σ(t)$\sigma \left(t\right)$ but also the most intriguing frequency dependent heat bath spectra are considered. Emphasis is laid on the dependence on the low-frequency behavior but in some cases also the high-frequency cutoff becomes relevant. The present investigation also sheds light on the role of boundary in long time and short time behavior of quantum dissipative systems.     

Strong-disorder fixed point in the dissipative random transverse-field Ising model

The interplay between disorder, quantum fluctuations, and dissipation is studied in the random transverse Ising chain coupled to a dissipative Ohmic bath with a real space renormalization group. A typically very large length scale L* is identified above which the physics of frozen clusters dominates. Below L* a strong-disorder fixed point determines scaling at a pseudocritical point. In a Griffiths-McCoy region frozen clusters produce already a finite magnetization resulting in a classical low temperature behavior of the susceptibility and specific heat. These override the confluent singularities that are characterized by a continuously varying exponent z and are visible above a temperature T*approximately L*-z.     

Quantum Dynamics of a Harmonic Oscillator in a Deformed Bath

The dissipative quantum dynamics of a harmonic oscillator in the presence of a deformed bath is investigated. The deformed bath is modelled by a collection of deformed quantum harmonic oscillators as a generalization of Hopfield model. The transition probabilities between energy levels of the oscillator are obtained perturbatively and discussed.     

Long time behavior in the quantized standard map with dissipation

A dissipative version of the quantized standard map is constructed by analytical means and iterated numerically to study the long time behavior in various regions of the damping rate. For weak dissipation, stochastic transitions induced by the heat bath disrupt the localization in the action variable, which suppresses chaotic motion in the conservative quantized standard map, and tend to restore diffusion of action. A steady state is reached on the time scale of classical relaxation. For strong dissipation, observable deviations from classical behavior both in the transients and in the statey state are due to quantum noise. They are reproduced by a classical stochastic map which is approached by the dissipative quantum map as its semi-classical limit.