This project seeks to identify and realize quantum resources yielding a possible quantum advantage by exploiting collective phenomena in open systems. The benefit of this approach is that it does not rely on perfect coherence from the outset. Instead, it exploits the competition between coherent interactions and dissipative processes, which is expected to yield a certain degree of robustness against external perturbations. A prominent example are so-called dissipative time-crystals, which constitute a many-body phase that displays persistent and well-defined temporal oscillations although their dynamical evolution is heavily influenced by incoherent processes.
The goal of this project is to identify and characterize such many-body phases more generally and to perform proof-of-principle experiments that demonstrate their applicability in protocols for sensing and timekeeping. Our focus will be on spin-boson models which constitute simple, yet fundamental and broadly relevant, many-body quantum systems. Within our consortium, we will implement such a system using crystals of trapped ions, which offer ultra-long-lived and state-independent hi-fidelity confinement of individually addressable quantum particles.