Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Log inSign up
Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Blog
Job Board
Q3AS

© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

TermsPrivacyLegal Notice

Physical Review A

Dissipative evolution, initial conditions, and information theory

Araceli N. Proto, J. Aliaga, Daniel Ricardo Napoli, D. Otero, Angel Ricardo Plastino

Published Apr 1, 1989• 22 citations
Publisher

Abstract

An information-theoretic approach is used to give a straightforward procedure that allows one to determine whether dissipative behavior can be attained for a given Hamiltonian. This technique stresses the importance of an adequate set of initial conditions in order to obtain dissipative evolution. It is shown that, although dissipative solutions may be compatible with the set of dynamical equations, they may not be realized just because it is impossible to construct the adequate set of initial conditions that would result in dissipative behavior. This is illustrated by reference to the well-known Bateman generalized problem of two interacting harmonic oscillators. We demonstrate the impossibility of obtaining dissipative evolution in linear, time-independent Hamiltonian systems generated with any combination of bilinear products of creation and annihilation operators.

DOI
10.1103/physreva.39.4223

Related papers

Optimal detection of dissipation in Lindbladian dynamics

Yiyi Cai

Experimental implementations of Hamiltonian dynamics are often affected by dissipative noise arising from interactions with the environment. This raises the question of whether one can detect the presence or absence of such dissipation using only access to the observed time evolution of the system. We consider the following decision problem: given black-box access to the time-evolution channels $e^{t\mathcal{L}}$ generated by an unknown time-independent Lindbladian $\mathcal{L}$, determine whether the dynamics are purely Hamiltonian or contain dissipation of magnitude at least $ε$ in normalized Frobenius norm. We give a randomized procedure that solves this task using total evolution time $\mathcal{O}(ε^{-1})$, which is information-theoretically optimal. This guarantee holds under the assumptions that the Lindblad generator has bounded strength and its dissipative part is of constant locality with bounded degree. Our work provides a practical method for detecting dissipative noise in experimentally implemented quantum dynamics.

quant-pharXiv:2603.17736•Mar 19, 2026•0 citations

A unitary perturbation theory approach to real-time evolution problems

Andreas Hackl, Stefan K. Kehrein

We discuss a new analytical approach to real-time evolution in quantum many-body systems. Our approach extends the framework of continuous unitary transformations such that it amounts to a novel solution method for the Heisenberg equations of motion for an operator. It is our purpose to illustrate the accuracy of this approach by studying dissipative quantum systems on all timescales. In particular, we obtain results for non-equilibrium correlation functions for general initial conditions. We illustrate our ideas for the exactly solvable dissipative oscillator and, as a non-trivial model, for the dissipative two-state system.

arXiv:0809.3524•Journal of Physics Condensed Matter•Dec 1, 2008•36 citations

Disentanglement by dissipative open system dynamics

Peter J. Dodd

This paper investigates disentanglement as a result of evolution according to a class of master equations which include dissipation and interparticle interactions. Generalizing an earlier result of Di\'osi, the time taken for complete disentanglement iscalculated (i.e., for disentanglement from any other system). The dynamics of two harmonically coupled oscillators is solved in order to study the competing effects of environmental noise and interparticle coupling on disentanglement. An argument based on separability conditions for Gaussian states is used to arrive at a set of conditions on the couplings sufficient for all initial states to disentangle for good after a finite time.

arXiv:quant-ph/0312099•Physical Review A•May 12, 2004•40 citations

Universal asymptotic behavior in flow equations of dissipative systems

Tobias Stauber

Based on two dissipative models, universal asymptotic behavior of flow equations for Hamiltonians is found and discussed. Universal asymptotic behavior only depends on fundamental bath properties but not on initial system parameters, and the integro-differential equations possess a universal attractor. The asymptotic flow of the Hamiltonian can be characterized by a nonlocal differential equation which only depends on one parameter---independent of the dissipative system or truncation scheme. Since the fixed-point Hamiltonian is trivial, the physical information is completely transferred to the transformation of the observables. This yields a more stable flow which is crucial for the numerical evaluation of correlation functions. Furthermore, the low-energy behavior of correlation functions is determined analytically. The presented procedure can also be applied if relevant perturbations are present as is demonstrated by evaluating dynamical correlation functions for sub-Ohmic environments. It can further be generalized to other dissipative systems.

arXiv:cond-mat/0211596•Physical review. B, Condensed matter•Sep 4, 2003•12 citations

Bilinear oscillators

Francisco Marcelo Fernández, Eduardo A. Castro

The matrix U' contains the full dynamics of a bilinear oscillator, because any observable of the system is an analytical function of the operators that determine the matrix representation. One cannot solve the time evolution equation in the general case, but there are many exactly solvable problems that simulate and enable one to understand the dynamics of more elaborate and realistic quantum-mechanical models. In the case of the solvable model just discussed it is easy to derive analytical expressions for operators in the Heisenberg picture as well as for invariants or constants of the motion. The mathematical treatment of the driven oscillator just discussed is trivial because the Hamiltonian operator belongs to a solvable Lie algebra. This model is a convenient starting point to illustrate the use of the Lie algebraic method, but it is also an oversimplification of most oscillatory phenomena. Nonlinear Hamiltonians are useful in many physical applications such as the simulation of frictional forces and dissipation effects.

CRC Press eBooks•Jan 16, 2020•0 citations

Solving quantum trajectories for systems with linear Heisenberg-picture dynamics and Gaussian measurement noise

Prahlad Warszawski, Howard M. Wiseman, Andrew C. Doherty

We study solutions to the quantum trajectory evolution of $N$-mode open quantum systems possessing a time-independent Hamiltonian, linear Heisenberg-picture dynamics, and Gaussian measurement noise. In terms of the mode annihilation and creation operators, a system will have linear Heisenberg-picture dynamics under two conditions. First, the Hamiltonian must be quadratic. Second, the Lindblad operators describing the coupling to the environment (including those corresponding to the measurement) must be linear. In cases where we can solve the $2N$-degree polynomials that arise in our calculations, we provide an analytical solution for initial states that are arbitrary (i.e., they are not required to have Gaussian Wigner functions). The solution takes the form of an evolution operator, with the measurement-result dependence captured in $2N$ stochastic integrals over these classical random signals. The solutions also allow the positive operator-valued measure (POVM), which generates the probabilities of obtaining measurement outcomes, to be determined. To illustrate our results, we solve some single-mode example systems, with the POVMs being of practical relevance to the inference of an initial state, via quantum state tomography. Our key tool is the representation of mixed states of quantum mechanical oscillators as state vectors rather than state matrices (albeit in a larger Hilbert space). Together with methods from Lie algebra, this allows a more straightforward manipulation of the exponential operators comprising the system evolution than is possible in the original Hilbert space.

arXiv:2004.02387•Physical Review A•Oct 12, 2020•12 citations
An information-theoretic approach is used to give a straightforward procedure that allows one to determine whether dissipative behavior can be attained for a given Hamiltonian. This technique stresses the importance of an adequate set of initial conditions in order to obtain dissipative evolution. It is shown that, although dissipative solutions may be compatible with the set of dynamical equations, they may not be realized just because it is impossible to construct the adequate set of initial conditions that would result in dissipative behavior. This is illustrated by reference to the well-known Bateman generalized problem of two interacting harmonic oscillators. We demonstrate the impossibility of obtaining dissipative evolution in linear, time-independent Hamiltonian systems generated with any combination of bilinear products of creation and annihilation operators.
Experimental implementations of Hamiltonian dynamics are often affected by dissipative noise arising from interactions with the environment. This raises the question of whether one can detect the presence or absence of such dissipation using only access to the observed time evolution of the system. We consider the following decision problem: given black-box access to the time-evolution channels etLe^{t\mathcal{L}}etL generated by an unknown time-independent Lindbladian L\mathcal{L}L, determine whether the dynamics are purely Hamiltonian or contain dissipation of magnitude at least εεε in normalized Frobenius norm. We give a randomized procedure that solves this task using total evolution time O(ε−1)\mathcal{O}(ε^{-1})O(ε−1), which is information-theoretically optimal. This guarantee holds under the assumptions that the Lindblad generator has bounded strength and its dissipative part is of constant locality with bounded degree. Our work provides a practical method for detecting dissipative noise in experimentally implemented quantum dynamics.
We discuss a new analytical approach to real-time evolution in quantum many-body systems. Our approach extends the framework of continuous unitary transformations such that it amounts to a novel solution method for the Heisenberg equations of motion for an operator. It is our purpose to illustrate the accuracy of this approach by studying dissipative quantum systems on all timescales. In particular, we obtain results for non-equilibrium correlation functions for general initial conditions. We illustrate our ideas for the exactly solvable dissipative oscillator and, as a non-trivial model, for the dissipative two-state system.
This paper investigates disentanglement as a result of evolution according to a class of master equations which include dissipation and interparticle interactions. Generalizing an earlier result of Di\'osi, the time taken for complete disentanglement iscalculated (i.e., for disentanglement from any other system). The dynamics of two harmonically coupled oscillators is solved in order to study the competing effects of environmental noise and interparticle coupling on disentanglement. An argument based on separability conditions for Gaussian states is used to arrive at a set of conditions on the couplings sufficient for all initial states to disentangle for good after a finite time.
Based on two dissipative models, universal asymptotic behavior of flow equations for Hamiltonians is found and discussed. Universal asymptotic behavior only depends on fundamental bath properties but not on initial system parameters, and the integro-differential equations possess a universal attractor. The asymptotic flow of the Hamiltonian can be characterized by a nonlocal differential equation which only depends on one parameter---independent of the dissipative system or truncation scheme. Since the fixed-point Hamiltonian is trivial, the physical information is completely transferred to the transformation of the observables. This yields a more stable flow which is crucial for the numerical evaluation of correlation functions. Furthermore, the low-energy behavior of correlation functions is determined analytically. The presented procedure can also be applied if relevant perturbations are present as is demonstrated by evaluating dynamical correlation functions for sub-Ohmic environments. It can further be generalized to other dissipative systems.
The matrix U' contains the full dynamics of a bilinear oscillator, because any observable of the system is an analytical function of the operators that determine the matrix representation. One cannot solve the time evolution equation in the general case, but there are many exactly solvable problems that simulate and enable one to understand the dynamics of more elaborate and realistic quantum-mechanical models. In the case of the solvable model just discussed it is easy to derive analytical expressions for operators in the Heisenberg picture as well as for invariants or constants of the motion. The mathematical treatment of the driven oscillator just discussed is trivial because the Hamiltonian operator belongs to a solvable Lie algebra. This model is a convenient starting point to illustrate the use of the Lie algebraic method, but it is also an oversimplification of most oscillatory phenomena. Nonlinear Hamiltonians are useful in many physical applications such as the simulation of frictional forces and dissipation effects.
We study solutions to the quantum trajectory evolution of NNN-mode open quantum systems possessing a time-independent Hamiltonian, linear Heisenberg-picture dynamics, and Gaussian measurement noise. In terms of the mode annihilation and creation operators, a system will have linear Heisenberg-picture dynamics under two conditions. First, the Hamiltonian must be quadratic. Second, the Lindblad operators describing the coupling to the environment (including those corresponding to the measurement) must be linear. In cases where we can solve the 2N2N2N-degree polynomials that arise in our calculations, we provide an analytical solution for initial states that are arbitrary (i.e., they are not required to have Gaussian Wigner functions). The solution takes the form of an evolution operator, with the measurement-result dependence captured in 2N2N2N stochastic integrals over these classical random signals. The solutions also allow the positive operator-valued measure (POVM), which generates the probabilities of obtaining measurement outcomes, to be determined. To illustrate our results, we solve some single-mode example systems, with the POVMs being of practical relevance to the inference of an initial state, via quantum state tomography. Our key tool is the representation of mixed states of quantum mechanical oscillators as state vectors rather than state matrices (albeit in a larger Hilbert space). Together with methods from Lie algebra, this allows a more straightforward manipulation of the exponential operators comprising the system evolution than is possible in the original Hilbert space.