Collective Dynamics in Spin Chains with Constrained Dissipation: Classically Fragile but Quantum Robust

Abstract

Collective non-equilibrium phenomena in many-body systems are strongly influenced by fluctuations, particularly in the vicinity of phase transitions, where the interplay between classical and quantum effects can alter cooperative behavior. Here, we investigate this classical-quantum competition in a kinetically constrained spin chain, the dissipative far-East model. In absence of fluctuations, the system exhibits emergent collective dynamics, resulting in phase coexistence. We find that this phenomenon is robust to quantum fluctuations, which further stabilize it, whereas classical fluctuations suppress phase coexistence at long times. We map out the steady-state phase diagram using a cluster mean-field approach and characterize the dynamics with stochastic tensor-network methods. Within the bistable phase we identify signatures of dynamical heterogeneity in both the local magnetization and the entanglement dynamics. This highlights how competing quantum fluctuations and classical kinetic constraints shape the relaxation dynamics and the phase structure of many-body systems.