Mathieu-state reordering in periodic thermodynamics

Abstract

A periodically driven, moderately anharmonic oscillator constitutes an ideal model system for investigating quantum resonances, which are amenable to a quantum pendulum approximation. In the present paper, I study the quasi-stationary Floquet-state occupation probabilities which emerge when such a resonantly driven system is coupled to a heat bath. It is demonstrated that the Floquet state which is associated with the ground state of the pendulum turns into an effective ground state, carrying the highest population in the strong-driving regime. Moreover, the population of this effective Floquet ground state can even exceed that of the undriven system’s true ground state at the same bath temperature. These effects can be optimized by suitably engineering the properties of the bath.