Signatures of Quantum Phase Transitions in Driven Dissipative Spin Chains

Area of Science:

• Quantum physics
• Condensed matter physics
• Non-equilibrium quantum dynamics

Background:

• Open driven quantum systems exhibit novel non-equilibrium phases and phase transitions.
• Dissipation generally suppresses quantum phase transitions in these systems due to decoherence.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate quantum phase transition signatures in an open quantum Ising model subject to bulk dissipation.
• To develop an analytical approach for studying systems with dissipation near quantum critical points.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of a quantum Ising model with bulk dissipation at rate Γ.
• Development of a versatile analytical approach treating dissipation perturbatively.
• Description of the system state using a slowly evolving generalized Gibbs ensemble.
• Investigation of integrability-breaking perturbations.

Main Results:

• A pronounced peak in correlation length was observed near the ground-state quantum critical point, despite dissipation.
• The analytical approach becomes exact in the limit of vanishing dissipation (Γ→0).
• Universality was demonstrated: integrability-breaking perturbations yield similar behavior.

Conclusions:

• Open quantum systems can exhibit transition-like phenomena (peak in correlation length) even when true quantum phase transitions are suppressed by dissipation.
• The developed analytical method provides a powerful tool for studying non-equilibrium quantum systems.
• A connection between dissipation-driven steady states and quantum quench dynamics was established.