Partition-free approach to open quantum systems in harmonic environments: An exact stochastic Liouville equation

TY - JOUR

T1 - Partition-free approach to open quantum systems in harmonic environments:

T2 - An exact stochastic Liouville equation

AU - McCaul, G.M.G

AU - Lorenz, C.D

AU - Kantorovitch, L.

PY - 2017/3/21

Y1 - 2017/3/21

N2 - We present a partition-free approach to the evolution of density matrices for open quantum systems coupled to a harmonic environment. The influence functional formalism combined with a two-time Hubbard-Stratonovich transformation allows us to derive a set of exact differential equations for the reduced density matrix of an open system, termed the extended stochastic Liouville–von Neumann equation. Our approach generalizes previous work based on Caldeira-Leggett models and a partitioned initial density matrix. This provides a simple, yet exact, closed-form description for the evolution of open systems from equilibriated initial conditions. The applicability of this model and the potential for numerical implementations are also discussed.

AB - We present a partition-free approach to the evolution of density matrices for open quantum systems coupled to a harmonic environment. The influence functional formalism combined with a two-time Hubbard-Stratonovich transformation allows us to derive a set of exact differential equations for the reduced density matrix of an open system, termed the extended stochastic Liouville–von Neumann equation. Our approach generalizes previous work based on Caldeira-Leggett models and a partitioned initial density matrix. This provides a simple, yet exact, closed-form description for the evolution of open systems from equilibriated initial conditions. The applicability of this model and the potential for numerical implementations are also discussed.

U2 - 10.1103/PhysRevB.95.125124

DO - 10.1103/PhysRevB.95.125124

M3 - Article

SN - 1098-0121

VL - 95

JO - Physical Review B

JF - Physical Review B

IS - 12

M1 - 125124

ER -