Dynamical response theory for driven-dissipative quantum systems

We discuss dynamical response theory of driven-dissipative quantum systems described by Markovian master equations generating semigroups of maps. In this setting thermal equilibrium states are replaced by nonequilibrium steady states, and dissipative perturbations are considered in addition to the Hamiltonian ones. We derive explicit expressions for the linear dynamical response functions for generalized dephasing channels and for Davies thermalizing generators. We introduce the notion of maximal harmonic response and compute it exactly for a single-qubit channel. Finally, we analyze linear response near dynamical phase transitions in quasifree open quantum systems. It is found that the effect of the dynamical phase transition shows up in a peak at the edge of the spectrum in the imaginary part of the dynamical response function.