Quantum synchronization in nanoscale heat engines

Abstract

In the context of closed quantum systems, when a system prepared in its ground state undergoes a sudden quench, the resulting Loschmidt echo can exhibit zeros, resembling the Fisher zeros in the theory of classical equilibrium phase transitions. These zeros lead to non-analytical behavior of the corresponding rate function, which is referred to as dynamical quantum phase transitions (DQPTs). In this work, we investigate DQPTs in the context of open quantum systems that are coupled to both Markovian and non-Markovian dephasing baths via a conserved quantity. The general framework is corroborated by studying the non-equilibrium dynamics of a transverse-field Ising ring. We show the robustness of DQPT signatures under the action of both engineered dephasing baths, independently on how strongly they couple to the quantum system. Our theory provides insight on the effect of non-Markovian environments on DQPTs.