Completely positive quantum dissipation

Nonequilibrium evolution of quarkonium in medium

We review recent progress in open quantum system approach to the description of quarkonium in the quark-gluon plasma. A particular emphasis is put on the Lindblad equations for quarkonium and its numerical simulations.

Moving Boundary Truncated Grid Method: Application to the Time Evolution of Distribution Functions in Phase Space

The moving boundary truncated grid (TG) method, previously developed to integrate the time-dependent Schrödinger equation and the imaginary time Schrödinger equation, is extended to the time evolution of distribution functions in phase space. A variable number of phase space grid points in the Eulerian representation are used to integrate the equation of motion for the distribution function, and the boundaries of the TG are adaptively determined as the distribution function evolves in time. Appropriate grid points are activated and deactivated for propagation of the distribution function, and no advance information concerning the dynamics in phase space is required. The TG method is used to integrate the equations of motion for phase space distribution functions, including the Klein-Kramers, Wigner-Moyal, and modified Caldeira-Leggett equations. Even though the initial distribution function is nonnegative, the solutions to the Wigner-Moyal and modified Caldeira-Leggett equations may develop negative basins in phase space originating from interference effects. Trajectory-based methods for propagation of the distribution function do not permit the formation of negative regions. However, the TG method can correctly capture the negative basins. Comparisons between the computational results obtained from the full grid and TG calculations demonstrate that the TG method not only significantly reduces the computational effort but also permits accurate propagation of various distribution functions in phase space.

No Thermalization without Correlations

The proof of the long-standing conjecture is presented that Markovian quantum master equations are at odds with quantum thermodynamics under conventional assumptions of fluctuation-dissipation theorems (implying a translation invariant dissipation). Specifically, except for identified systems, persistent system-bath correlations of at least one kind, spatial or temporal, are obligatory for thermalization. A systematic procedure is proposed to construct translation invariant bath models producing steady states that well approximate thermal states. A quantum optical scheme for the laboratory assessment of the developed procedure is outlined.

Generalized quantum Fokker-Planck equation for photoinduced nonequilibrium processes with positive definiteness condition

This work provides a detailed derivation of a generalized quantum Fokker-Planck equation (GQFPE) appropriate for photo-induced quantum dynamical processes. The path integral method pioneered by Caldeira and Leggett (CL) [Physica A 121, 587 (1983)] is extended by utilizing a nonequilibrium influence functional applicable to different baths for the ground and the excited electronic states. Both nonequilibrium and non-Markovian effects are accounted for consistently by expanding the paths in the exponents of the influence functional up to the second order with respect to time. This procedure results in approximations involving only single time integrations for the exponents of the influence functional but with additional time dependent boundary terms that have been ignored in previous works. The boundary terms complicate the derivation of a time evolution equation but do not affect position dependent physical observables or the dynamics in the steady state limit. For an effective density operator with the boundary terms factored out, a time evolution equation is derived, through short time expansion of the effective action and Gaussian integration in analytically continued complex domain of space. This leads to a compact form of the GQFPE with time dependent kernels and additional terms, which renders the resulting equation to be in the Dekker form [Phys. Rep. 80, 1 (1981)]. Major terms of the equation are analyzed for the case of Ohmic spectral density with Drude cutoff, which shows that the new GQFPE satisfies the positive definiteness condition in medium to high temperature limit. Steady state limit of the GQFPE is shown to approach the well-known expression derived by CL in the high temperature and Markovian bath limit and also provides additional corrections due to quantum and non-Markovian effects of the bath.

Wigner-Lindblad Equations for Quantum Friction

Dissipative forces are ubiquitous and thus constitute an essential part of realistic physical theories. However, quantization of dissipation has remained an open challenge for nearly a century. We construct a quantum counterpart of classical friction, a velocity-dependent force acting against the direction of motion. In particular, a translationary invariant Lindblad equation is derived satisfying the appropriate dynamical relations for the coordinate and momentum (i.e., the Ehrenfest equations). Numerical simulations establish that the model approximately equilibrates. These findings significantly advance a long search for a universally valid Lindblad model of quantum friction and open opportunities for exploring novel dissipation phenomena.

Exact Closed Master Equation for Gaussian Non-Markovian Dynamics

Non-Markovian master equations describe general open quantum systems when no approximation is made. We provide the exact closed master equation for the class of Gaussian, completely positive, trace preserving, non-Markovian dynamics. This very general result allows us to investigate a vast variety of physical systems. We show that the master equation for non-Markovian quantum Brownian motion is a particular case of our general result. Furthermore, we derive the master equation unraveled by a non-Markovian, dissipative stochastic Schrödinger equation, paving the way for the analysis of dissipative non-Markovian collapse models.

Dissipative Continuous Spontaneous Localization (CSL) model

Collapse models explain the absence of quantum superpositions at the macroscopic scale, while giving practically the same predictions as quantum mechanics for microscopic systems. The Continuous Spontaneous Localization (CSL) model is the most refined and studied among collapse models. A well-known problem of this model, and of similar ones, is the steady and unlimited increase of the energy induced by the collapse noise. Here we present the dissipative version of the CSL model, which guarantees a finite energy during the entire system's evolution, thus making a crucial step toward a realistic energy-conserving collapse model. This is achieved by introducing a non-linear stochastic modification of the Schrödinger equation, which represents the action of a dissipative finite-temperature collapse noise. The possibility to introduce dissipation within collapse models in a consistent way will have relevant impact on the experimental investigations of the CSL model, and therefore also on the testability of the quantum superposition principle.

Zero-point energies, the uncertainty principle, and positivity of the quantum Brownian density operator

High-temperature and white-noise approximations are frequently invoked when deriving the quantum Brownian equation for an oscillator. Even if this white-noise approximation is avoided, it is shown that if the zero-point energies of the environment are neglected, as they often are, the resultant equation will violate not only the basic tenet of quantum mechanics that requires the density operator to be positive, but also the uncertainty principle. When the zero-point energies are included, asymptotic results describing the evolution of the oscillator are obtained that preserve positivity and, therefore, the uncertainty principle.

Dissipative dynamics of a harmonic oscillator: a nonperturbative approach

Starting from a microscopic theory, we derive a master equation for a harmonic oscillator coupled to a bath of noninteracting oscillators. We follow a nonperturbative approach, proposed earlier by us for the free Brownian particle. The diffusion constants are calculated analytically and the positivity of the master equation is shown to hold above a critical temperature. We compare the long time behavior of the average kinetic and potential energies with known thermodynamic results. In the limit of vanishing oscillator frequency of the system, we recover the results of the free Brownian particle.

Nonperturbative approach to quantum Brownian motion

Starting from the Caldeira-Leggett model, we derive the equation describing the quantum Brownian motion, which has been originally proposed by Dekker purely from phenomenological basis containing extra anomalous diffusion terms. This nonperturbative approach yields explicit analytical expressions for the temperature dependence of the diffusion constants. At high temperatures, additional momentum diffusion terms are suppressed and classical Langevin equation can be recovered and at the same time positivity of the density matrix is satisfied. At low temperatures, the diffusion constants have a finite positive value. However, below a certain critical temperature, the master equation does not satisfy the positivity condition as proposed by Dekker.

Three-dimensional Monte Carlo simulations of the quantum linear Boltzmann equation

Recently the general form of a translation-covariant quantum Boltzmann equation has been derived, which describes the dynamics of a tracer particle in a quantum gas. We develop a stochastic wave function algorithm that enables full three-dimensional Monte Carlo simulations of this equation. The simulation method is used to study the approach to equilibrium for various scattering cross sections and to determine dynamical deviations from Gaussian statistics through an investigation of higher-order cumulants. Moreover, we examine the loss of coherence of superpositions of momentum eigenstates and determine the corresponding decoherence time scales to quantify the transition from quantum to classical behavior of the state of the test particle.

Master equation for a quantum particle in a gas

The equation for the quantum motion of a Brownian particle in a gaseous environment is derived by means of S-matrix theory. This quantum version of the linear Boltzmann equation accounts nonperturbatively for the quantum effects of the scattering dynamics and describes decoherence and dissipation in a unified framework. As a completely positive master equation it incorporates both the known equation for an infinitely massive Brownian particle and the classical linear Boltzmann equation as limiting cases.

From measurements to quantum friction

We present a quantum theory of friction in which interactions with the surrounding medium are described by generalized measurements of the particle's position and momentum. The theory predicts intrinsically quantum contributions to the particle's steady-state energy and to the associated diffusion in position. We discuss the physical significance of these and demonstrate their significance in ensuring a well behaved theory.

Theory of decoherence due to scattering events and Lévy processes

A general connection between the characteristic function of a Lévy process and loss of coherence of the statistical operator describing the center of mass degrees of freedom of a quantum system interacting through momentum transfer events with an environment is established. The relationship with microphysical models and recent experiments is considered, focusing on the recently observed transition between a dynamics described by a compound Poisson process and a Gaussian process.

Quantum description of Einstein's Brownian motion

A fully quantum treatment of Einstein's Brownian motion is given, stressing in particular the role played by the two original requirements of translational invariance and connection between dynamics of the Brownian particle and atomic nature of the medium. The former leads to a clearcut relationship with a generator of translation-covariant quantum-dynamical semi-groups recently characterized by Holevo, the latter to a formulation of the fluctuation-dissipation theorem in terms of the dynamic structure factor, a two-point correlation function introduced in seminal work by Van Hove, directly related to density fluctuations in the medium and therefore to its atomistic, discrete nature. A microphysical expression for the generally temperature dependent friction coefficient is given in terms of the dynamic structure factor and of the interaction potential describing the single collisions. A comparison with the Caldeira-Leggett model is drawn, especially in view of the requirement of translational invariance, further characterizing general structures of reduced dynamics arising in the presence of symmetry under translations.

Nonlinear Ginzburg-Landau-type approach to quantum dissipation

We formally derive two nonlinear Ginzburg-Landau type models starting from the Wigner-Fokker-Planck system, which rules the evolution of a quantum electron gas interacting with a heat bath in thermodynamic equilibrium. These models mainly consist of a quantum, dissipative O(Planck 3) hydrodynamic/O(Planck 4) stochastic correction to the frictional (Caldeira-Leggett-)Schrödinger equation. The main ingredient lies in the use of the hydrodynamic/stochastic fluid model approach associated with the quantum Fokker-Planck equation and the identification of the associated pressure field. Then, Madelung transformations set the problem in the Schrödinger picture of dissipative quantum mechanics. We also describe the stationary dynamics associated with both systems.

Bifurcation phenomenon in spin relaxation

Spin relaxation in a strong-coupling regime (with respect to the spin system) is investigated in detail based on the spin-boson model in a stochastic limit. We find a bifurcation phenomenon in temperature dependence of relaxation constants, which is never observed in the weak-coupling regime. We also discuss inequalities among the relaxation constants in our model and show the well-known relation 2gamma(T)>or=gamma(L), for example, for a wider parameter region than before.

Non-Abelian linear Boltzmann equation and quantum correction to Kramers and Smoluchowski equation

A quantum linear Boltzmann equation, constructed in terms of the operator-valued dynamic structure factor of the macroscopic system the test particle is interacting with, is proposed. Due to this operator structure it is a non-Abelian linear Boltzmann equation and when expressed through the Wigner function it allows for a direct comparison with the classical one. Considering a Brownian particle, the corresponding Fokker-Planck equation is obtained in a most direct way taking the limit of small energy and momentum transfer. A typical quantum correction to the Kramers equation thus appears, describing diffusion in position and further implying a correction to Einstein's diffusion coefficient in the high temperature and friction limit in which the Smoluchowski equation emerges.

Quantum dissipation in unbounded systems

In recent years trajectory based methodologies have become increasingly popular for evaluating the time evolution of quantum systems. A revival of the de Broglie--Bohm interpretation of quantum mechanics has spawned several such techniques for examining quantum dynamics from a hydrodynamic perspective. Using techniques similar to those found in computational fluid dynamics one can construct the wave function of a quantum system at any time from the trajectories of a discrete ensemble of hydrodynamic fluid elements (Bohm particles) which evolve according to nonclassical equations of motion. Until very recently these schemes have been limited to conservative systems. In this paper, we present our methodology for including the effects of a thermal environment into the hydrodynamic formulation of quantum dynamics. We derive hydrodynamic equations of motion from the Caldeira-Leggett master equation for the reduced density matrix and give a brief overview of our computational scheme that incorporates an adaptive Lagrangian mesh. Our applications focus upon the dissipative dynamics of open unbounded quantum systems. Using both the Wigner phase space representation and the linear entropy, we probe the breakdown of the Markov approximation of the bath dynamics at low temperatures. We suggest a criteria for rationalizing the validity of the Markov approximation in open unbound systems and discuss decoherence, energy relaxation, and quantum/classical correspondence in the context of the Bohmian paths.

Test particle in a quantum gas

A master equation with a Lindblad structure is derived, which describes the interaction of a test particle with a macroscopic system and is expressed in terms of the operator valued dynamic structure factor of the system. In the case of a free Fermi or Bose gas the result is evaluated in the Brownian limit, thus obtaining a single generator master equation for the description of quantum Brownian motion in which the correction due to quantum statistics is explicitly calculated. The friction coefficients for Boltzmann and Bose or Fermi statistics are compared.