Hidden Time-Reversal Symmetry, Quantum Detailed Balance and Exact Solutions of Driven-Dissipative Quantum Systems

Driven-dissipative quantum systems generically do not satisfy simple notions of detailed balance based on the time symmetry correlation functions. We show that such can nonetheless exhibit a hidden time-reversal symmetry, which most directly manifests itself in doubled version original system prepared an appropriate entangled thermofield double state. This has direct operational utility: it provides general method for finding exact solutions nontrivial steady states. Special cases this approach include coherent absorber and complex-P function methods from optics. also observable consequences even single-system experiments, be broken by combination nonlinearity, thermal fluctuations, driving. To illustrate our ideas, we analyze concrete examples driven qubits nonlinear cavities. These but conventional balance.2 MoreReceived 12 November 2020Accepted May 2021DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PRXQuantum.2.020336Published American Physical Society under terms Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license. Further distribution work must maintain attribution to author(s) published article's title, journal citation, DOI.Published SocietyPhysics Subject Headings (PhySH)Research AreasOpen systemsQuantum opticsTechniquesNonperturbative methodsAtomic, Molecular & Optical