Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Log inSign up
Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Blog
Job Board
Q3AS

© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

TermsPrivacyLegal Notice

New Journal of Physics

From coherent motion to localization: dynamics of the spin-boson model at zero temperature

Haobin Wang, Michael Thoss

Published Nov 20, 2008• 145 citations
Publisher

Abstract

The dynamics of the spin-boson model at zero temperature is investigated using the multilayer multiconfiguration time-dependent Hartree (ML-MCTDH) method.This method allows a numerically exact description of the dynamics of the spin-boson model in a broad range of coupling strengths.The results show the transition of the dynamics from weakly damped coherent motion to incoherent decay and finally to localization upon increase of the system-bath coupling strength.A detailed analysis of the incoherent decay for stronger coupling reveals that multiple timescales are involved in the dynamics.Furthermore, the applicability of the scaling limit for large characteristic frequencies of the bath as well as the validity of the non-interacting blip approximation are studied in some detail.

DOI
10.1088/1367-2630/10/11/115005

Related papers

Dynamics of a two-level system coupled to a bath of spins

Haobin Wang, Jiushu Shao

The dynamics of a two-level system coupled to a spin bath is investigated via the numerically exact multilayer multiconfiguration time-dependent Hartree (ML-MCTDH) theory. Consistent with the previous work on linear response approximation [N. Makri, J. Phys. Chem. B 103, 2823 (1999)], it is demonstrated numerically that this spin-spin-bath model can be mapped onto the well-known spin-boson model if the system-bath coupling strength obeys an appropriate scaling behavior. This linear response mapping, however, may require many bath spin degrees of freedom to represent the practical continuum limit. To clarify the discrepancies resulted from different approximate treatments of this model, the population dynamics of the central two-level system has been investigated near the transition boundary between the coherent and incoherent motions via the ML-MCTDH method. It is found that increasing temperature favors quantum coherence in the nonadiabatic limit of this model, which corroborates the prediction in the previous work [J. Shao and P. Hanggi, Phys. Rev. Lett. 81, 5710 (1998)] based on the non-interacting blip approximation (NIBA). However, the coherent-incoherent boundary obtained by the exact ML-MCTDH simulation is slightly different from the approximate NIBA results. Quantum dynamics in other physical regimes are also discussed.

The Journal of Chemical Physics•Jul 13, 2012•30 citations

Non-Markovian effects in the spin-boson model at zero temperature

Sebastian Wenderoth, Heinz‐Peter Breuer, Michael Thoss

We investigate memory effects in the spin-boson model using a recently proposed measure for non-Markovian behavior based on the information exchange between an open system and its environment. Employing the numerical exact multilayer multiconfiguration time-dependent Hartree approach, we simulate the dynamics of the spin-boson model at zero temperature for a broad range of parameters. For a fast bath, i.e., in the scaling limit, we find non-Markovian dynamics for a coherently decaying spin at weak system-bath coupling, whereas memory effects are absent for stronger coupling in the regimes of incoherent decay and localization. If the timescales of system and bath are comparable, a complex, nonmonotonic dependence of non-Markovianity on the system-bath coupling strength is observed.

arXiv:2101.09463•Physical Review A•Jul 19, 2021•26 citations

Dynamics of the spin-boson model: The effect of bath initial conditions

Lipeng Chen, Yiying Yan, Maxim F. Gelin +1 more

The dynamics of the (sub-)Ohmic spin-boson model under various bath initial conditions is investigated by employing the Dirac–Frenkel time-dependent variational approach with the multiple Davydov D1 Ansatz in the interaction picture. The validity of our approach is carefully checked by comparing the results with those of the hierarchy equations of motion method. By analyzing the features of nonequilibrium dynamics, we identify the phase diagrams for different bath initial conditions. We find that for the spectral exponent s < sc, there exists a transition from coherent to quasicoherent dynamics with increasing coupling strengths. For sc < s ≤ 1, the coherent to incoherent crossover occurs at a certain coupling strength and the quasicoherent dynamics emerges at much larger couplings. The initial preparation of the bath has a considerable influence on the dynamics.

arXiv:2212.05723•The Journal of Chemical Physics•Feb 21, 2023•16 citations

Transient Dynamical Phase Diagram of the Spin-Boson Model

Olga Goulko, Hsing-Ta Chen, Moshe Goldstein +1 more

We investigate the real-time dynamics of the sub-Ohmic spin-boson model across a broad range of coupling strengths, using the numerically exact inchworm quantum Monte Carlo algorithm. From short- and intermediate-time dynamics starting from an initially decoupled state, we extract signatures of the zero-temperature quantum phase transition between localized and delocalized states. We show that the dynamical phase diagram thus obtained differs from the equilibrium phase diagram in both the values of critical couplings and the associated values of the critical exponent. We also identify and quantitatively analyze two competing mechanisms for the crossover between coherent oscillations and incoherent decay. Deep in the sub-Ohmic regime, the crossover is driven by the damping of the oscillation amplitude, while closer to the Ohmic regime the oscillation frequency itself drops sharply to zero at large coupling.

arXiv:2402.18561•Physical Review Letters•Feb 6, 2025•8 citations

Exact Born Approximation for the Spin-Boson Model

Daniel Loss, David Peter Divincenzo

Within the lowest-order Born approximation, we present an exact calculation of the time dynamics of the spin-boson model in the Ohmic regime. We observe non-Markovian effects at zero temperature that scale with the system-bath coupling strength and cause qualitative changes in the evolution of coherence at intermediate times of order of the oscillation period. These changes could significantly affect the performance of these systems as qubits. In the biased case, we find a prompt loss of coherence at these intermediate times, whose decay rate is set by $\sqrtα$, where $α$ is the coupling strength to the environment. These calculations indicate precision experimental tests that could confirm or refute the validity of the spin-boson model in a variety of systems.

arXiv:cond-mat/0304118•Apr 4, 2003•9 citations

Coherent-incoherent transition in the sub-Ohmic spin-boson model

Alex W. Chin, Misha Turlakov

We study the spin-boson model with a sub-Ohmic bath using a variational method. The transition from coherent dynamics to incoherent tunneling is found to be abrupt as a function of the coupling strength $\ensuremath{\alpha}$ and to exist for any power $0<s<1$, where the bath coupling is described by $J(\ensuremath{\omega})\ensuremath{\sim}\ensuremath{\alpha}{\ensuremath{\omega}}^{s}$. We find nonmonotonic temperature dependence of the two-level gap $\stackrel{\ifmmode \tilde{}\else \~{}\fi{}}{K}$ and a reentrance regime close to the transition due to nonadiabatic low-frequency bath modes. Differences between thermodynamic and dynamic conditions for the transition as well as the limitations of the simplified bath description are discussed.

arXiv:cond-mat/0511285•Physical Review B•Feb 7, 2006•54 citations
The dynamics of the spin-boson model at zero temperature is investigated using the multilayer multiconfiguration time-dependent Hartree (ML-MCTDH) method.This method allows a numerically exact description of the dynamics of the spin-boson model in a broad range of coupling strengths.The results show the transition of the dynamics from weakly damped coherent motion to incoherent decay and finally to localization upon increase of the system-bath coupling strength.A detailed analysis of the incoherent decay for stronger coupling reveals that multiple timescales are involved in the dynamics.Furthermore, the applicability of the scaling limit for large characteristic frequencies of the bath as well as the validity of the non-interacting blip approximation are studied in some detail.
The dynamics of a two-level system coupled to a spin bath is investigated via the numerically exact multilayer multiconfiguration time-dependent Hartree (ML-MCTDH) theory. Consistent with the previous work on linear response approximation [N. Makri, J. Phys. Chem. B 103, 2823 (1999)], it is demonstrated numerically that this spin-spin-bath model can be mapped onto the well-known spin-boson model if the system-bath coupling strength obeys an appropriate scaling behavior. This linear response mapping, however, may require many bath spin degrees of freedom to represent the practical continuum limit. To clarify the discrepancies resulted from different approximate treatments of this model, the population dynamics of the central two-level system has been investigated near the transition boundary between the coherent and incoherent motions via the ML-MCTDH method. It is found that increasing temperature favors quantum coherence in the nonadiabatic limit of this model, which corroborates the prediction in the previous work [J. Shao and P. Hanggi, Phys. Rev. Lett. 81, 5710 (1998)] based on the non-interacting blip approximation (NIBA). However, the coherent-incoherent boundary obtained by the exact ML-MCTDH simulation is slightly different from the approximate NIBA results. Quantum dynamics in other physical regimes are also discussed.
We investigate memory effects in the spin-boson model using a recently proposed measure for non-Markovian behavior based on the information exchange between an open system and its environment. Employing the numerical exact multilayer multiconfiguration time-dependent Hartree approach, we simulate the dynamics of the spin-boson model at zero temperature for a broad range of parameters. For a fast bath, i.e., in the scaling limit, we find non-Markovian dynamics for a coherently decaying spin at weak system-bath coupling, whereas memory effects are absent for stronger coupling in the regimes of incoherent decay and localization. If the timescales of system and bath are comparable, a complex, nonmonotonic dependence of non-Markovianity on the system-bath coupling strength is observed.
The dynamics of the (sub-)Ohmic spin-boson model under various bath initial conditions is investigated by employing the Dirac–Frenkel time-dependent variational approach with the multiple Davydov D1 Ansatz in the interaction picture. The validity of our approach is carefully checked by comparing the results with those of the hierarchy equations of motion method. By analyzing the features of nonequilibrium dynamics, we identify the phase diagrams for different bath initial conditions. We find that for the spectral exponent s < sc, there exists a transition from coherent to quasicoherent dynamics with increasing coupling strengths. For sc < s ≤ 1, the coherent to incoherent crossover occurs at a certain coupling strength and the quasicoherent dynamics emerges at much larger couplings. The initial preparation of the bath has a considerable influence on the dynamics.
We investigate the real-time dynamics of the sub-Ohmic spin-boson model across a broad range of coupling strengths, using the numerically exact inchworm quantum Monte Carlo algorithm. From short- and intermediate-time dynamics starting from an initially decoupled state, we extract signatures of the zero-temperature quantum phase transition between localized and delocalized states. We show that the dynamical phase diagram thus obtained differs from the equilibrium phase diagram in both the values of critical couplings and the associated values of the critical exponent. We also identify and quantitatively analyze two competing mechanisms for the crossover between coherent oscillations and incoherent decay. Deep in the sub-Ohmic regime, the crossover is driven by the damping of the oscillation amplitude, while closer to the Ohmic regime the oscillation frequency itself drops sharply to zero at large coupling.
Within the lowest-order Born approximation, we present an exact calculation of the time dynamics of the spin-boson model in the Ohmic regime. We observe non-Markovian effects at zero temperature that scale with the system-bath coupling strength and cause qualitative changes in the evolution of coherence at intermediate times of order of the oscillation period. These changes could significantly affect the performance of these systems as qubits. In the biased case, we find a prompt loss of coherence at these intermediate times, whose decay rate is set by α\sqrtαα​, where ααα is the coupling strength to the environment. These calculations indicate precision experimental tests that could confirm or refute the validity of the spin-boson model in a variety of systems.
We study the spin-boson model with a sub-Ohmic bath using a variational method. The transition from coherent dynamics to incoherent tunneling is found to be abrupt as a function of the coupling strength $\ensuremath{\alpha}$ and to exist for any power 0<s<10<s<10<s<1, where the bath coupling is described by $J(\ensuremath{\omega})\ensuremath{\sim}\ensuremath{\alpha}{\ensuremath{\omega}}^{s}$. We find nonmonotonic temperature dependence of the two-level gap $\stackrel{\ifmmode \tilde{}\else \~{}\fi{}}{K}$ and a reentrance regime close to the transition due to nonadiabatic low-frequency bath modes. Differences between thermodynamic and dynamic conditions for the transition as well as the limitations of the simplified bath description are discussed.