Stochastic simulation of dissipative quantum oscillators

TL;DR

This paper introduces a pedagogic approach to modeling dissipative quantum oscillators using quasiclassical stochastic methods, aiming to bridge the gap between classical and quantum descriptions of open systems.

Contribution

It demonstrates how classical stochastic processes with quantum noise spectra can effectively simulate open quantum systems, providing a computationally efficient alternative.

Findings

Quasiclassical methods can capture environmental quantum effects on quantum oscillators.

Stochastic simulation offers a less computationally intensive approach compared to full quantum models.

The approach provides pedagogic insights into open quantum system dynamics.

Abstract

Generic open quantum systems are notoriously difficult to simulate unless one looks at specific regimes. In contrast, classical dissipative systems can often be effectively described by stochastic processes, which are generally less computationally expensive. Here, we use the paradigmatic case of a dissipative quantum oscillator to give a pedagogic introduction into the modelling of open quantum systems using quasiclassical methods, i.e. classical stochastic methods that use a 'quantum' noise spectrum to capture the influence of the environment on the system. Such quasiclassical methods have the potential to offer insights into the impact of the quantum nature of the environment on the dynamics of the system of interest whilst still being computationally tractable.