We investigate a system composed of two coupled oscillators subject to stochastic fluctuations in its internal parameters. In particular, we answer the question whether the well-known classical analogy of the quantum dynamics of two-level systems (TLSs), i.e., qubits, provided by two coupled oscillators can be extended to simulate the dynamics of dissipative quantum systems. In the context of nanomechanics, the analogy in the dissipation-free case has already been tested in multiple experimental setups, e.g., doubly clamped or cantilever string resonators and optically levitated particles. A well-known result of this classical analogy is that the relaxation and decoherence times of the analog quantum system must be equal, i.e., $T_1=T_2$, in contrast to the general case of quantum TLSs. We show that this fundamentally quantum feature, i.e., $T_1\ne T_2$, can be implemented as well in the aforementioned classical systems by adding stochastic fluctuations in their internal parameters. Moreover, we show that these stochastic contributions can be engineered in the control apparatus of those systems, discussing, in particular, the application of this theory to levitated nanoparticles and to nanostring resonators.

• Received 20 October 2023
• Accepted 14 February 2024

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevResearch.6.013284

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Published by the American Physical Society