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Modern Physics Letters B

Wigner Distribution Function for Open Quantum Systems

Sotirios Baskoutas

Published Apr 30, 1997• 1 citation
Publisher

Abstract

Using the modified biorthonormal Heisenberg equations of motion for non-Hermitian (NH) Hamilton operators, in order to imply a consistent Lie-algebraic structure and also the equivalence between the Heisenberg and Schrödinger pictures, we have obtained the analytical form of the Wigner distribution function which is unavoidable complex. Its imaginary part accounts for the influence of additional degrees of freedom, which are always present in the phenomenological representation of dissipative systems through (NH) Hamiltonians. Applications of the above formalism can be found, for instance, in dissipative macroscopic quantum tunneling (MQT) effect for Josephson junctions, and in the dissipative tunneling of trapped atoms in optical crystals.

DOI
10.1142/s0217984997000487

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Using the modified biorthonormal Heisenberg equations of motion for non-Hermitian (NH) Hamilton operators, in order to imply a consistent Lie-algebraic structure and also the equivalence between the Heisenberg and Schrödinger pictures, we have obtained the analytical form of the Wigner distribution function which is unavoidable complex. Its imaginary part accounts for the influence of additional degrees of freedom, which are always present in the phenomenological representation of dissipative systems through (NH) Hamiltonians. Applications of the above formalism can be found, for instance, in dissipative macroscopic quantum tunneling (MQT) effect for Josephson junctions, and in the dissipative tunneling of trapped atoms in optical crystals.
We discuss some aspects of the time picture of tunneling for open quantum systems described by non-Hermitian (NH) Hamiltonians. The concept of sojourn time for such systems is introduced in the framework of the biorthonormal formalism. Due to the various definitions of probability density in the non-Hermitian case, we get three different sojourn times, two real and one complex. We consider as model of a dissipative NH system the complex, generalized parametric oscillator, for which we derive the exact expressions of the three sojourn times in terms of the Wei-Norman characteristic functions entering the non-unitary evolution operators. The special case of the inverted Caldirola-Kanai oscillator with complex friction parameter is investigated for an initial extended wavepacket. We also discuss the Landau-Zener-like transitions of the NH parametric oscillator, i.e. the dissipative tunneling through a dynamical barrier due to the perturbative effect of the damping.
We consider an open quantum system which contains unstable states. The time evolution of the system can be described by an effective non-Hermitian Hamiltonian Heff{H}_{\mathrm{eff}}Heff​, in accord with the Wigner-Weisskopf approximation, and an additional term of the Lindblad form, the so-called dissipator. We show that, after enlarging the original Hilbert space by states which represent the decay products of the unstable states, the non-Hermitian part of Heff{H}_{\mathrm{eff}}Heff​---the ``particle decay''---can be incorporated into the dissipator of the enlarged space via a specific Lindblad operator. Thus the formulation of the time evolution on the enlarged space has a Hermitian Hamiltonian and is probability conserving. The equivalence of the formulation with the original one demonstrates that the time evolution which is governed by a non-Hermitian Hamiltonian and a dissipator of the Lindblad form is nevertheless completely positive, just as systems with Hermitian Hamiltonians.
In principle, non-Hermitian quantum equations of motion can be formulated using as a starting point either the Heisenberg's or the Schrödinger's picture of quantum dynamics. Here it is shown in both cases how to map the algebra of commutators, defining the time evolution in terms of a non-Hermitian Hamiltonian, onto a non-Hamiltonian algebra with a Hermitian Hamiltonian. The logic behind such a derivation is reversible, so that any Hermitian Hamiltonian can be used in the formulation of non-Hermitian dynamics through a suitable algebra of generalized (non-Hamiltonian) commutators. These results provide a general structure (a template) for non-Hermitian equations of motion to be used in the computer simulation of open quantum systems dynamics.
In principle, non-Hermitian quantum equations of motion can be formulated using as a starting point either the Heisenberg's or the Schrödinger's picture of quantum dynamics. Here it is shown in both cases how to map the algebra of commutators, defining the time evolution in terms of a non-Hermitian Hamiltonian, onto a non-Hamiltonian algebra with a Hermitian Hamiltonian. The logic behind such a derivation is reversible, so that any Hermitian Hamiltonian can be used in the formulation of non-Hermitian dynamics through a suitable algebra of generalized (non-Hamiltonian) commutators. These results provide a general structure (a template) for non-Hermitian equations of motion to be used in the computer simulation of open quantum systems dynamics.
In this paper we review an approach to the dynamics of open quantum systems based of non-Hermitian Hamiltonians. Non-Hermitian Hamiltonians arise naturally when one wish to study a subsystem interacting with a continuum of states. Moreover, quantum subsystems with probability sinks or sources are naturally described by non-Hermitian Hamiltonians. Herein, we discuss a non-Hermitian formalism based on the density matrix. We show both how to derive the equations of motion of the density matrix and how to define statistical averages properly. It turns out that the laws of evolution of the normalized density matrix are intrinsically non-linear. We also show how to define correlation functions and a non-Hermitian entropy with a non zero production rate. The formalism has been generalized to the case of hybrid quantum-classical systems using a partial Wigner representation. The equations of motion and the statistical averages are defined analogously to the pure quantum case. However, the definition of the entropy requires to introduce a non-Hermitian linear entropy functional.
The canonical treatment of the quantum dynamics of systems with dissipation affected degrees of freedom proceeds within the sum over histories picture of quantum theory. This paper proposes to supplement that approach with a Schrodinger equation approach to the same physics. Starting from a Lagrangian that is of the same form as those obtained by path integration, one can arrive at a quantized Hamiltonian analogue using the standard rules applied to non-dissipative systems. The resulting Hamiltonian is non-diagonal in position representation, so that the corresponding Schrodinger equation is a nonlinear integro-differential equation reminiscent of the Hartree equation. In the case of the normal tunnel junction, with a quasiparticle heat bath, this equation has an exact solution.