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arXiv:2512.07496 · Communications in Theoretical Physics

Mediated Transmission of Quantum Synchronization in Star Networks

Shuo Dai, Ran Qi

quant-phSubmitted Dec 8, 2025• Announced Dec 9, 2025• 0 citations
v1 · Dec 8, 2025v2 · Mar 3, 2026
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Abstract

Synchronization transmission describes the emergence of coherence between two uncoupled oscillators mediated by their mutual coupling to an intermediate one. In classical star networks, such mediated coupling gives rise to remote synchronization--where nonadjacent leaf nodes synchronize through a nonsynchronous hub--and to explosive synchronization, characterized by an abrupt collective transition to coherence. In the quantum regime, analogous effects can arise from the interplay between 1:1 phase locking and 2:1 phase-locking blockade in coupled spin-1 oscillators. In this work, we investigate a star network composed of spin-1 oscillators. For identical oscillators, symmetric and asymmetric dissipation lead to distinct transmission behaviors: remote synchronization and quasi-explosive synchronization appear in different coupling regimes, a phenomenon absent in classical counterparts. For nonidentical networks, we find that at large detuning remote synchronization emerges in the weak-coupling regime and evolves into quasi-explosive synchronization as the coupling increases, consistent with classical star-network dynamics. These findings reveal the rich dynamical characteristics of mediated quantum synchronization and point toward new possibilities for exploring synchronization transmission in larger and more complex quantum systems.

Journal reference
Commun. Theor. Phys. 78, 045103 (2026)
DOI
10.1088/1572-9494/ae316c

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Synchronization transmission describes the emergence of coherence between two uncoupled oscillators mediated by their mutual coupling to an intermediate one. In classical star networks, such mediated coupling gives rise to remote synchronization--where nonadjacent leaf nodes synchronize through a nonsynchronous hub--and to explosive synchronization, characterized by an abrupt collective transition to coherence. In the quantum regime, analogous effects can arise from the interplay between 1:1 phase locking and 2:1 phase-locking blockade in coupled spin-1 oscillators. In this work, we investigate a star network composed of spin-1 oscillators. For identical oscillators, symmetric and asymmetric dissipation lead to distinct transmission behaviors: remote synchronization and quasi-explosive synchronization appear in different coupling regimes, a phenomenon absent in classical counterparts. For nonidentical networks, we find that at large detuning remote synchronization emerges in the weak-coupling regime and evolves into quasi-explosive synchronization as the coupling increases, consistent with classical star-network dynamics. These findings reveal the rich dynamical characteristics of mediated quantum synchronization and point toward new possibilities for exploring synchronization transmission in larger and more complex quantum systems.
We theoretically describe macroscopic quantum synchronization effects occurring in a network of all-to-all coupled quantum limit-cycle oscillators. The coupling causes a transition to synchronization as indicated by the presence of global phase coherence. We demonstrate that the microscopic quantum properties of the oscillators qualitatively shape the synchronization behavior in a macroscopically large network. Specifically, they result in a blockade of collective synchronization that is not expected for classical oscillators. Additionally, the macroscopic ensemble shows emergent behavior not present at the level of two coupled quantum oscillators.
Synchronization manifests itself in oscillators adjusting their frequencies and phases with respect to an external signal or another oscillator. In the quantum case, new features appear such as destructive interferences that can result in the suppression of phase locking. A three-level (spin-1) oscillator with equal gain and damping rates and subject to an external drive does not exhibit any 1:1 phase locking but 2:1 phase locking, i.e., its phase distribution features two maxima. This bistable locking at two opposite phases is a signature of the quantum interference synchronization blockade. An analogous behavior was found for two identical coupled spin-1 oscillators. In this work, we consider two coupled spin-1 oscillators and a drive applied to the first spin. This leads to two interference blockades between the drive and the first spin as well as between both spins. Although both interference blockades persist for strong drive and coupling strengths, remarkably, the undriven spin does show a 1:1 phase locking to the external drive. The magnitude of the locking is proportional to the drive strength if the drive strength is small. In other words, the undriven oscillator synchronizes to the external drive through both interference blockades while the blockades persist. For a chain of three coupled spin-1 oscillators, we find synchronization between the first and third spins mediated via the blockaded, second spin.
Can synchronization -- the widespread spontaneous emergence of coordinated dynamics in classical nonlinear systems -- also occur in the quantum regime? This question has recently sparked intense research into collective behavior and temporal self-organization in quantum systems. Typical quantum features such as the linearity of time evolution and the presence of quantum noise seem to hinder the appearance of synchrony at the microscopic level. At the same time, quantum coherence and quantum correlations may provide novel mechanisms for enhancing synchronization beyond its classical counterpart. We here survey recent theoretical and experimental advances in quantum synchronization, ranging from the characterization of synchronous oscillations and genuinely nonclassical forms of synchrony to many-body synchronization on quantum networks.
Synchronization is one of the paradigmatic phenomena in the study of complex systems. It has been explored theoretically and experimentally mostly to understand natural phenomena, but also in view of technological applications. Although several mechanisms and conditions for synchronous behavior in spatially extended systems and networks have been identified, the emergence of this phenomenon has been largely unexplored in quantum systems until very recently. Here we discuss synchronization in quantum networks of different harmonic oscillators relaxing towards a stationary state, being essential the form of dissipation. By local tuning of one of the oscillators, we establish the conditions for synchronous dynamics, in the whole network or in a motif. Beyond the classical regime we show that synchronization between (even unlinked) nodes witnesses the presence of quantum correlations and entanglement. Furthermore, synchronization and entanglement can be induced between two different oscillators if properly linked to a random network.
We investigate quantum synchronization in coupled self-sustained oscillators interacting via bosonic exchange. Using a phase-distribution-based synchronization measure, we identify bistable phase locking between 0 and $\ensuremath{\pi}$ and uncover an expanded Arnold-tongue structure under finite detuning, indicative of enhanced quantum phase locking. Power spectral analysis reveals dual-frequency locking associated with dressed-state formation, a uniquely quantum effect. This spectral splitting persists even without detuning and increases with coupling strength, signaling coherent hybridization of oscillator modes. A comparison with a classical approximation highlights key differences, including the absence of spectral doublets in the classical regime. Finally, we show that increasing nonlinear damping induces a sharp transition in the preferred phase difference and leads to decoherence through spectral peak broadening, underscoring the critical role of dissipation in shaping quantum synchronization dynamics.
Traditional studies of quantum synchronization in finite-dimensional spin systems usually focus on entrainment of a single spin to an external drive, leaving mutual synchronization among multiple spins poorly understood. We investigate mutual quantum synchronization across bipartite and tripartite spin architectures in a driven-dissipative cavity-coupled quantum Rabi network in the dispersive adiabatic regime. Inspired by the Kuramoto model of classical phase synchronization, we introduce a phase-space measure of quantum synchronization using the first angular moments of Husimi-Q phase distributions. To compare the collective phase localization with reduced-subsystem contributions and local individual phase locking, we construct a bipartite and tripartite synchronization gap. For two spins, the steady-state synchronization gap is negative. This reflects that the relative phase is localized more strongly than the individual spin phases can account for, signaling mutual synchronization beyond independent entrainment by the drive. For three spins in a triangular network, the synchronization gap is positive in the parameter regime studied, i.e., the collective three-body localization is bounded by the pairwise measures. Our results underscore that quantum phase synchronization strongly depends upon network topology and establish the phase-sensitive synchronization gaps as an effective diagnostic for multipartite phase correlations in open quantum systems.