Mainz 2026 – scientific programme
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Q: Fachverband Quantenoptik und Photonik
Q 9: Open Quantum Systems and Spin-Boson Systems I
Q 9.4: Talk
Monday, March 2, 2026, 17:45–18:00, P 4
Non-Equilibrium Dynamics and Metastable Behavior in Strongly Coupled Atom-Light Systems — •Simon Balthasar Jäger1, Ameneh Sheikhan1, Catalin-Mihai Halati2, Luisa Tolle1, and Corinna Kollath1 — 1Physikalisches Institut, University of Bonn — 2Max Planck Institute for the Physics of Complex Systems, Dresden
We investigate the open quantum dynamics of interacting bosonic atoms described by the Bose-Hubbard model under strong light-matter coupling. In the slow-tunneling regime, we derive an effective rate equation for the bosonic Fock states that accurately captures the long-time atomic dynamics. This framework enables numerically efficient simulations and uncovers pronounced metastable behavior, including long-lived transients and bistable atom-light configurations. By comparing the stationary state to thermal ensembles, we identify parallels and deviations arising from interatomic interactions and dissipative light-matter coupling. Our results reveal non-equilibrium phenomena generated by the interplay of strong interactions and dissipation in open quantum systems.
Keywords: Open quantum systems; Strong light-matter interactions; Out-of-equilibrium physics; Cavity QED; Rate and Master equations