Ana Asenjo: Correlated Decay in Many-body Quantum Systems

In this talk, I will delve into correlated decay in open quantum systems composed of many-particles, discussing both fundamental principles and practical applications. I will focus primarily on our recent work on universal scaling laws for correlated decay [1], which apply broadly to a large class of Markovian quantum systems. I will also address the specific case of atomic arrays in free space and highlight the implications of these scaling laws for fault-tolerant quantum computing, metrology, and many-body dynamics. In the latter part of the talk, I will introduce the concept of collective transition quenching, an application of correlated decay where dissipative interactions in systems with multiple competing decay channels suppress all but the dominant decay path. This 'winner takes all' dynamic leads to the near-deterministic preparation of the dominant ground state. This mechanism provides a way to control and manipulate of open quantum systems, with applications in molecular photochemistry and other fields.