Quantum phase transition of light in the dissipative Rabi-Hubbard lattice: A dressed-master-equation perspective

Abstract: In this work, we investigate the quantum phase transition of light in the dissipative Rabi-Hubbard lattice under the framework of the mean-field theory and quantum dressed master equation. The order parameter of photons in strong qubit-photon coupling regime is derived analytically both at zero and low temperatures. Interestingly, we can locate the localization and delocalization phase transition very well in a wide parameter region. {In particular for the zero-temperature limit, the critical tunneling strength approaches zero generally in the deep-strong qubit-photon coupling regime, regardless of the quantum dissipation. This is contrary to the previous results with the finite minimal critical tunneling strength based on the standard Lindblad master equation. Moreover, a significant improvement of the critical tunneling is also observed at finite temperature, compared with the counterpart under the Lindblad description. We hope these results may deepen the understanding of the phase transition of photons in the Rabi-Hubbard model.