Dissipative tunneling in a bath of two-level systems

The dynamical behavior of a two-level system coupled linearly to a dissipative bath of two-level systems whose tunneling splittings and coupling parameters are distributed according to an Ohmic spectrum is studied using numerical path integral methods as well as the noninteracting blip approximation for an equivalent harmonic environment characterized by a scaled spectral density. Comparisons with the behaviors of the conventional spin-boson model of similar coupling strength reveal a weaker quenching of coherence in the present case. Finally, the boundary in parameter space between coherent and incoherent dynamics is mapped. [S0163-1829(99)02426-1].