Facilitated Spin Models of Dissipative Quantum Glasses

Abstract

We introduce a class of dissipative quantum spin models with local interactions and without quenched disorder that show glassy behavior. These models are the quantum analogs of the classical facilitated spin models. Just like their classical counterparts, quantum facilitated models display complex glassy dynamics despite the fact that their stationary state is essentially trivial. In these systems, dynamical arrest is a consequence of kinetic constraints and not of static ordering. These models display a quantum version of dynamic heterogeneity: the dynamics toward relaxation is spatially correlated despite the absence of static correlations. Associated dynamical fluctuation phenomena such as decoupling of time scales is also observed. Moreover, we find that close to the classical limit, quantum fluctuations can enhance glassiness, as recently reported for quantum liquids.