2016/08/31 by Talitha Weiss, Talitha Weiß, Stefan Walter +1 · 3 citations
Computer Science · Mathematics · Neuroscience · Physics and Astronomy · #Coherence (philosophical gambling strategy) #Limit cycle #Mathematics #Mechanical and Optical Resonators #Nonlinear Dynamics and Pattern Formation #Photoreceptor and optogenetics research #Physics #Quantum #Quantum dynamics #Quantum limit #Quantum mechanics #Statistical physics #Synchronization (alternating current) #Topology (electrical circuits) #Van der Pol oscillator #cond-mat.mes-hall #quant-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.1103/physreva.95.041802
published as Phys. Rev. A 95, 041802 (2017) · 6 pages + Supplemental Material
openalex publication_date 2017/04/11 · arxiv created 2017/04/18 · arxiv updated 2017/04/19 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05
Recently, several studies have investigated synchronization in quantum-mechanical limit-cycle oscillators. However, the quantum nature of these systems remained partially hidden, since the dynamics of the oscillator's phase was overdamped and therefore incoherent. We show that there exist regimes of underdamped and even quantum-coherent phase motion, opening up new possibilities to study quantum synchronization dynamics. To this end, we investigate the Van der Pol oscillator (a paradigm for a self-oscillating system) synchronized to an external drive. We derive an effective quantum model which fully describes the regime of underdamped phase motion and additionally allows us to identify the quality of quantum coherence. Finally, we identify quantum limit cycles of the phase itself.