Quantum dynamics of the sine-Gordon model in the presence of dissipation

Abstract

The influence of dissipation on the quantum soliton-antisoliton pair creation rate $P$ is calculated for the sine-Gordon model using the path-integral formulation. The external field dependence of $P$ is shown to change drastically in the weak-field limit. The relation to the electric conductivity of commensurability pinned charge-density waves is discussed.