We prove that the empirical distribution of crossings of a "detector'' surface by scattered particles converges in appropriate limits to the scattering cross section computed by stationary scattering theory. Our result, which is based on Bohmian mechanics and the flux-across-surfaces theorem, is the first derivation of the cross section starting from first microscopic principles.
We sketch a derivation of abstract scattering theory from the microscopic first principles defined by Bohmian mechanics. We emphasize the importance of the flux-across-surfaces theorem for the derivation, and of randomness in the impact parameter of the initial wave function---even for an, inevitably inadequate, orthodox derivation.
A microscopic derivation of an open quantum walk on a two node graph is presented. It is shown that for the considered microscopic model of the system-bath interaction the resulting quantum master equation takes the form of a generalized master equation. The explicit form of the "quantum coin" operators is derived. The formalism is demonstrated for the example of a two-level system walking on a two-node graph.
This article presents microscopic derivation of the Kraus operators for (the generalized) amplitude and phase damping process. Derivation is based on the recently developed method [Andersson et al, J. Mod.Opt. 54, 1695 (2007)] which concerns finite dimensional systems (e.g. qubit). The form of these operators is usually estimated without insight into the microscopic details of the dynamics. The behavior of the qubit dynamics is simulated and depicted via Bloch sphere change.
In this paper we provide a microscopic derivation of the master equation for the Jaynes-Cummings model with cavity losses. We single out both the differences with the phenomenological master equation used in the literature and the approximations under which the phenomenological model correctly describes the dynamics of the atom-cavity system. Some examples wherein the phenomenological and the microscopic master equations give rise to different predictions are discussed in detail.
It is shown that under certain conditions the resonant transport in mesoscopic systems can be described by modified (quantum) rate equations, which resemble the optical Bloch equations with some additional terms. Detailed microscopic derivation from the many-body Schrödinger equation is presented. Special attention is paid to the Coulomb blockade and quantum coherence effects in coupled quantum dot systems. The distinction between classical and quantum descriptions of resonant transport is clearly manifested in the modified rate equations.
We deduce from a microscopic point of view the equation that describes how the state of a particle crossing a medium decoheres. We apply our results to the example of a particle crossing a gas, computing explicitly the Lindblad operators in terms of the interaction potential between the particle and a target of the medium. We interpret the imaginary part of the refraction index as a loss of quantum coherence, that is reflected in the disappearance of interference patterns in a Young experiment.
Deriving the laws of thermodynamics from a microscopic picture is a central quest of statistical mechanics. This tutorial focuses on the derivation of the first and second law for closed and open quantum systems far from equilibrium, where such foundational questions also become practically relevant for emergent nanotechnologies. The derivation is based on a microscopic definition of five essential quantities: internal energy, thermodynamic entropy, work, heat and temperature. These definitions are shown to satisfy the phenomenological laws of nonequilibrium thermodynamics for a large class of…
Open Quantum Walks (OQWs) are exclusively driven by dissipation and are formulated as completely positive trace preserving (CPTP) maps on underlying graphs. The microscopic derivation of discrete and continuous in time OQWs is presented. It is assumed that connected nodes are weakly interacting via a common bath. The resulting reduced master equation of the quantum walker on the lattice is in the generalised master equation form. The time discretisation of the generalised master equation leads to the OQWs formalism. The explicit form of the transition operators establishes a connection between…
Spin-transfer torque (STT) provides key mechanisms for current-induced phenomena in ferromagnets. While it is widely accepted that STT involves both adiabatic and non-adiabatic contributions, their underlying physics and range of validity are quite controversial. By computing microscopically the response of conduction electron spins to a time varying and spatially inhomogeneous magnetic background, we derive the adiabatic and non-adiabatic STT in a unified fashion. Our result confirms the macroscopic theory [Phys. Rev. Lett. \textbf{93},~127204 (2004)] with all coefficients matched exactly. Ou…
We study the exact solution for two atomic particles in an optical lattice interacting via a Feshbach resonance. The analysis includes the influence of all higher bands, as well as the proper renormalization of molecular energy in the closed channel. Using an expansion in Bloch waves, we show that the problem reduces to a simple matrix equation, which can be solved numerically very efficient. This exact solution allows for the precise determination of the parameters in the Hubbard model and the two-particle bound state energy. We identify the regime, where a single band Hubbard model fails to …
In the mid-19th century, both the laws of mechanics and thermodynamics were known, and both appeared fundamental. This was changed by Boltzmann and Gibbs, who showed that thermodynamics can be *derived*, by applying mechanics to very large systems, and making simple statistical assumptions about their behavior. Similarly, when Quantum Mechanics (QM) was first discovered, it appeared to require two sets of postulates: one about the deterministic evolution of wavefunctions, and another about the probabilistic measurement process. Here again, the latter is derivable from the former: by applying u…
Information-theoretic derivations of the formalism of quantum theory have recently attracted much attention. We analyze the axioms underlying a few such derivations and propose a conceptual framework in which, by combining several approaches, one can retrieve more of the conventional quantum formalism.
We provide a rigorous construction of Markovian master equations for a wide class of quantum systems that encompass quadratic models of finite size, linearly coupled to an environment modeled by a set of independent thermal baths. Our theory can be applied for both fermionic and bosonic models in any number of physical dimensions, and does not require any particular spatial symmetry of the global system. We show that, for non-degenerate systems under a full secular approximation, the effective Lindblad operators are the normal modes of the system, with coupling constants that explicitly depend…
We introduce a general formalism to describe the effects of Markovian noise which is spatially correlated, typically decaying over some finite correlation length. For any system of interest, this formalism describes spatial correlations without the necessity to choose a particular microscopic model for the environment. We present a method of mapping the equations to Lindblad form and discuss functional forms for homogeneous spatial correlation functions. We also discuss two example microscopic models for the environment which exhibit non-trivial spatial-temporal correlation functions.
We present in this continuation paper a new axiomatic derivation of the Schrödinger equation from three basic postulates. This new derivation sheds some light on the thermodynamic character of the quantum formalism. We also show the formal connection between this derivation and the one previously done by other means. Some considerations about metaestability are also drawn. We return to an example previously developed to show how the connection between both derivations works.
Thermodynamics entails a set of mathematical conditions on quantum Markovian dynamics. In particular, strict energy conservation between the system and environment implies that the dissipative dynamical map commutes with the unitary system propagator. Employing spectral analysis we prove the general form of the ensuing master equation. We compare this result to master equations obtained from standard microscopic derivations. The obtained formal structure can be employed to test the compatibility of approximate derivations with thermodynamics. For example, it designates that global master equat…
In formal scattering theory, Green functions are obtained as solutions of a distributional equation. In this paper, we use the Sturm-Liouville theory to compute Green functions within a rigorous mathematical theory. We shall show that both the Sturm-Liouville theory and the formal treatment yield the same Green functions. We shall also show how the analyticity of the Green functions as functions of the energy keeps track of the so-called ``incoming'' and ``outgoing'' boundary conditions.
Adiabatic elimination and Wigner function approach in microscopic derivation of Open Quantum Brownian Motion
University of KwaZulu-Natal(夸祖鲁-纳塔尔大学);North-West University(西北大学);National Institute for Theoretical and Computational Sciences (NITheCS)(国家理论与计算科学研究所);Stellenbosch University(斯泰伦博斯大学)
This is a derivation of the quantum-optical master equation using coarse-graining of time, which brings new insights into a decades old technique. My derivation is quite similar to derivations using quantum stochastic methods or Kraus operators, though I go through the derivation without explicitly invoking any of these concepts, so it may be easier to follow as an introduction. I also address the major pitfall of nearly all microscopic derivations of the master equation, namely that they assume the state of the system and bath factorize for all times. I show why this assumption actually holds…
We show a microscopic derivation of a quantum master equation with counting terms which describes the electron statistics. A localized spin behaves as a probe whose precession angle monitors the net electron current by the magnetic-moment interaction. The probe Hamiltonian is proportional to the current, and is determined self-consistently for a model of a quantum dot. Then it turns out that the quantum master equation for the spin-precession contains the counting terms. As an application, we show the fluctuation theorem for the electron current.