Thermodynamic universality across dissipative quantum phase transitions

TL;DR

This paper uncovers universal power-law scaling of entropy production during finite-time driving across dissipative quantum phase transitions, revealing fundamental insights into irreversibility in open quantum systems.

Contribution

It introduces a universal scaling law for nonadiabatic entropy production near criticality in dissipative quantum systems, validated in models like the Dicke and Kerr models.

Findings

Nonadiabatic entropy production scales as a power law with ramp duration.

In Gaussian states, entropy production is independent of driving speed at leading order.

Universal behavior observed in both thermodynamic limit and finite-size models.

Abstract

We study finite-time driving across second-order dissipative quantum phase transitions described by Lindblad dynamics. We show that the nonadiabatic entropy production, which quantifies deviations from the instantaneous nonequilibrium steady state, exhibits universal power-law scaling with the ramp duration in analogy to the Kibble-Zurek mechanism for closed systems. This establishes the universality of irreversible dissipation induced by driving an open quantum system near criticality. Furthermore, in systems described by bosonic Gaussian states, our scaling laws predict that the nonadiabatic entropy production is independent of driving speed to leading order, revealing a distinctive feature of Gaussian dissipative quantum phase transitions. We validate these analytical predictions in the thermodynamic limit of the driven-dissipative Dicke model and via finite-size scaling in the open Kerr model. Our results establish a general framework for understanding universal nonequilibrium response and thermodynamic irreversibility in critical open quantum systems.