Noise-induced transition in a quantum system

TL;DR

This paper investigates how quantum noise influences transitions in a bistable system, highlighting effects like tunneling and vacuum fluctuations on probability distributions and signal-to-noise ratios.

Contribution

It introduces a quantum statistical approach using Wigner distribution to analyze noise-induced transitions in a driven quantum system.

Findings

Transition from unimodal to bimodal probability distribution due to quantum effects

Quantum vacuum fluctuations significantly affect the system's stationary states

Signal-to-noise ratio is enhanced by quantum noise processes

Abstract

We examine the noise-induced transition in a fluctuating bistable potential of a driven quantum system in thermal equilibrium. Making use of a Wigner canonical thermal distribution for description of the statistical properties of the thermal bath, we explore the generic effects of quantization like vacuum field fluctuation and tunneling in the characteristic stationary probability distribution functions undergoing transition from unimodal to bimodal nature and in signal-to-noise ratio characterizing the co-operative effect among the noise processes and the weak periodic signal.