Transition path and interface sampling of stochastic Schrödinger dynamics

Abstract

We study rare transitions in Markovian open quantum systems driven with Gaussian noise, applying transition path and interface sampling methods to trajectories generated by stochastic Schrödinger dynamics. Interface and path sampling offer insights into rare event transition mechanisms while simultaneously establishing a quantitative measure of the associated rate constant. Here, we extend their domain to systems described by stochastic Schrödinger equations. As a specific example, we explore a model of quantum Brownian motion in a quartic double well, consisting of a particle coupled to a Caldeira–Leggett oscillator bath, where we note significant departures from the Arrhenius law at low temperatures due to the presence of an anti-Zeno effect.