Quantum phase transitions triggered by a four-level atomic system in dissipative environments

Abstract

We investigate the quantum phase transitions (QPTs) of a four-level system in a noisy environment. The system is composed of a four-level atom which is driven by classical fields and simultaneously coupled with a quantum field mode. A second-order dissipative phase transition (DPT) is observed by combining unitary processes with dissipation dynamics. The analytical expression for the DPT in the anisotropic Rabi model is given. We demonstrate that the QPT in an open four-level system is characterized as several boundaries, which is completely different from that in a closed system. In addition, our model is robust against strong atomic spontaneous emission, providing a promising platform for observing DPT in an open system and studying the related dynamics associated with DPT.