Dynamical Hysteresis in Bistable Quantum Systems

We are studying bistable quantum systems coupled to a thermal environment in the presence of an external controlling force. The impact of thermal and quantum effects on the switching hysteresis is studied by evaluating a time-dependent real-time double path integral with the recently developed iterative tensor multiplication scheme for the quasiadiabatic path integral propagator method for temperatures ranging from well above to well below quantum-classical crossover temperature. The switching dynamics and its intimate connection to quantum stochastic resonance is studied here for the first time without limitation to a two-state description and/or small external forces. copyright 1997 The American Physical Society