Dissipative Dynamics and Phase Transitions in Fermionic Systems

TL;DR

This paper investigates how small parameter changes in open fermionic systems can cause sudden shifts in their steady states and dynamics, revealing phase and dynamical transitions with potential realizations in ion chains.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive analysis of phase and dynamical transitions in quadratic and quartic fermionic dissipative systems, including experimental realizations.

Findings

Identification of phase transitions in steady states.

Characterization of dynamical transitions with abrupt rate changes.

Examples demonstrating realization in ion chains.

Abstract

We study abrupt changes in the dynamics and/or steady state of fermionic dissipative systems produced by small changes of the system parameters. Specifically, we consider open fermionic systems whose dynamics is described by master equations that are quadratic (and, under certain conditions, quartic) in creation and annihilation operators. We analyze both phase transitions in steady state, as well as "dynamical transitions". The latter are characterized by abrupt changes in the rate at which the system asymptotically approaches the steady state. We illustrate our general findings with relevant examples of fermionic (and, equivalently, spin) systems, and show that they can be realized in ion chains.