Coherent dynamics in a dual-coupling spin-boson model

Abstract: We study the dynamics of a particle tunneling between the ground states of a symmetric double potential well system, in the presence of simultaneous diagonal and non-diagonal couplings to an Ohmic oscillator bath. We use the noninteracting-blip approximation to investigate coherence effects across a wide range of system-environment coupling strengths at physiological temperatures. We show how the presence of a non-diagonal coupling mechanism significantly alters the dynamics of the tunneling particle, producing coherent oscillations despite strong thermal fluctuations in the environment. Fluctuations in both the particle's polarization, as well as tunneling energies, lead to competing influences on the coherent nature of tunneling particle dynamics, with non-diagonal couplings introducing a relatively long-lived oscillatory mode in an otherwise incoherent setting.