Effective Kinetic Monte Carlo for a Quantum Epidemic Process

Abstract

Inspired by previous works on epidemic-like processes in open quantum systems, we derive an elementary quantum epidemic model that is simple enough to be studied via Quantum Jump Monte Carlo simulations at reasonably large system sizes. We show how some weak symmetries of the Lindblad equation allow us to map the dynamics onto a classical Kinetic Monte Carlo; this simplified, effective dynamics can be described via local stochastic jumps coupled with a local deterministic component. Simulations are then used to reconstruct a phase diagram which displays stationary features completely equivalent to those of completely classical epidemic processes, but richer dynamics with multiple, recurrent waves of infection.