The Ising model in a light-induced quantized transverse field

Abstract: We investigate the influence of light-matter interactions on correlated quantum matter by studying the paradigmatic Ising model subject to a quantum Rabi coupling. This type of coupling to a confined, spatially delocalized bosonic light mode, such as provided by an optical resonator, resembles a quantized transverse magnetic field of tunable strength. As a consequence, the symmetry-broken magnetic state breaks down for strong enough light-mater interactions to a paramagnetic state. The non-local character of the bosonic mode can change the quantum phase transition in a drastic manner, which we analyze quantitatively for the simplest case of a chain geometry (Dicke-Ising chain). The results show a direct transition between a magnetically ordered phase with zero photon density and a magnetically polarized phase with lasing behaviour of the light. Our predictions are equally valid for the dual quantized Ising chain in a conventional transverse magnetic field.