Manifolds of exceptional points and effective Zeno limit of an open two-qubit system

Abstract: We analytically investigate the Liouvillian exceptional point manifolds (LEPMs) of a two-qubit open system, where one qubit is coupled to a dissipative polarization bath. Exploiting a Z_2 symmetry, we block-diagonalize the Liouvillian and show that one symmetry block yields two planar LEPMs while the other one exhibits a more intricate, multi-sheet topology. The intersection curves of these manifolds provide a phase diagram for effective Zeno transitions at small dissipation. These results are consistent with a perturbative extrapolation from the strong Zeno regime. Interestingly, we find that the fastest relaxation to the non-equilibrium steady state occurs on LEPMs associated with the transition to the effective Zeno regime.