Fate of the Quasi-condensed State for Bias-driven Hard-Core Bosons in one Dimension

Abstract

Bosons in one dimension display a phenomenon called quasi-condensation, where correlations decay in a powerlaw fashion. We study the fate of quasi-condensation in the non-equilibrium steady-state of a chain of hard-core bosons coupled to macroscopic leads which are held at different chemical potentials. It is found that a finite bias destroys the quasi-condensed state and the critical scaling function of the quasi-condensed fraction, near the zero bias transition, is determined. Associated critical exponents are determined and numerically verified. Away from equilibrium, the system exhibits exponentially decaying correlations that are characterized by a bias-dependent correlation length that diverges in equilibrium. In addition, power-law corrections are found, which are characterized by an exponent that depends on the chain-leads coupling and is non-analytic at zero bias. This exactly-solvable nonequilibrium strongly-interacting system has the remarkable property that, the near-equilibrium state at infinitesimal bias, cannot be obtained within linear response. These results aid in unraveling the intricate properties spawned by strong interactions once liberated from equilibrium constraints.