Time-translation-symmetry breaking in a driven oscillator: From the quantum coherent to the incoherent regime

Yaxing Zhang, J. Gosner, S. M. Girvin, J. Ankerhold, and M. I. Dykman
Phys. Rev. A 96, 052124 – Published 20 November 2017

Abstract

We study the breaking of the discrete time-translation symmetry in small periodically driven quantum systems. These systems are intermediate between large closed systems and small dissipative systems, which both display such symmetry breaking but have qualitatively different dynamics. As a nontrivial example, strongly different from the familiar case of parametric resonance, we consider period tripling in a quantum nonlinear oscillator. We develop theoretical methods of the analysis of period tripling, including the theory of multiple-state resonant tunneling in phase space with the account taken of the involved geometric phase. For moderately strong driving, the period tripling persists for a time, which is exponentially long compared with all dynamical times. This time is further extended by an even weak decoherence.

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  • Received 2 March 2017

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.96.052124

©2017 American Physical Society

Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)

Condensed Matter, Materials & Applied PhysicsGeneral Physics

Authors & Affiliations

Yaxing Zhang1, J. Gosner2, S. M. Girvin1, J. Ankerhold2, and M. I. Dykman3

  • 1Department of Physics, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06511, USA
  • 2Institute for Complex Quantum Systems and IQST, Ulm University, 89069 Ulm, Germany
  • 3Department of Physics and Astronomy, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, USA

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Issue

Vol. 96, Iss. 5 — November 2017

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