Aging transition in coupled quantum oscillators.

Abstract

Aging transition is an emergent behavior observed in networks consisting of active (self-oscillatory) and inactive (non-self-oscillatory) nodes, where the network transits from a global oscillatory state to an oscillation collapsed state when the fraction of inactive oscillators surpasses a critical value. However, the aging transition in quantum domain has not been studied yet. In this paper we investigate the quantum manifestation of aging transition in a network of active-inactive quantum oscillators. We show that, unlike classical case, the quantum aging is not characterized by a complete collapse of oscillation but by sufficient reduction in the mean boson number. We identify a critical "knee" value in the fraction of inactive oscillators around which quantum aging occurs in two different ways. Further, in stark contrast to the classical case, quantum aging transition depends upon the nonlinear damping parameter. We also explain the underlying processes leading to quantum aging that have no counterpart in the classical domain.