Phases of driven two-level systems with nonlocal dissipation

TL;DR

This paper explores the complex phases and dynamics of driven two-level systems with nonlocal dissipation, revealing diverse ordered states and bistabilities through mean-field analysis, with implications for understanding open quantum many-body systems.

Contribution

It introduces a comprehensive mean-field phase diagram for driven two-level systems with nonlocal dissipation, highlighting the role of dissipation in emergent phases.

Findings

Identification of multiple phases including antiferromagnetism and spin density waves

Discovery of phase bistabilities and oscillatory behaviors

Analysis of nonlocal dissipation's influence on long-time dynamics

Abstract

We study an array of two-level systems arranged on a lattice and illuminated by an external plane wave which drives a dipolar transition between the two energy levels. In this set up, the two-level systems are coupled by dipolar interactions and subject to nonlocal dissipation, so behave as an open many-body quantum system. We investigate the long-time dynamics of the system at the mean-field level, and use this to determine a phase diagram as a function of external drive and detuning. We find a multitude of phases including antiferromagnetism, spin density waves, oscillations and phase bistabilities. We investigate these phases in more detail and explain how nonlocal dissipation plays a role in the long-time dynamics. Furthermore, we discuss what features would survive in the full quantum description.