Hidden time-reversal symmetry and exact solutions of driven-dissipative spin models

Quantum systems subject to both driving and dissipation often have complex non-thermal steady states, and are at the forefront of research in many areas of physics. I’ll discuss how a subtle kind of anti-unitary symmetry (what we term "hidden time-reversal symmetry") can enable exact solutions of several non-trivial many-body models (described by Lindblad master equations) in regimes where conventional approximations fail. The focus will be on a driven-dissipative transverse field Ising model, which describes a collection of Rabi-driven qubits interacting via long range Ising interactions, and subject to loss (both single qubit and collective). Our solution reveals a wealth of phenomenon, from the emergence of phase transitions as the number of qubits grow, to disorder effects associated with inhomogeneous driving [1]. This system could be directly realized in a number of different platforms, including trapped ion quantum simulators and superconducting circuits. I will also discuss the application of our method to other driven-dissipative many-body models, including boundary-driven spin chains [2] and driven photonic systems [3].

[1] D. Roberts and A. A. Clerk, arXiv:2307.06946

[2] A. Lingenfelter et al, arXiv:2307.09482

[3] D. Roberts and A. A. Clerk, Phys. Rev. Lett 130, 063601 (2023)