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The Journal of Chemical Physics

T 2 can be greater than 2T1

Hannah Sevian, James L. Skinner

Published Aug 1, 1989• 41 citations
Publisher

Abstract

We consider a quantum–mechanical two-level system under the influence of both diagonal and off-diagonal stochastic perturbations, and focus on the decay times T1 and T2, which refer to the relaxation to equilibrium of the populations and relative phase of the two levels, respectively. From both theoretical and experimental viewpoints one traditionally expects that T2≤2T1. On the other hand, from a fourth-order cumulant expansion calculation of the asymptotic time dependence of the density matrix elements, Budimir and Skinner [J. Stat. Phys. 49, 1029 (1987)] showed that, in fact, in some instances T2>2T1. In this paper we solve the stochastic model numerically, which leads to the exact time dependence of the density matrix at all times. We find that the analytic prediction that T2>2T1 is not only correct, but also meaningful, in the sense that the density matrix elements decay exponentially after only a short transient time.

DOI
10.1063/1.457648

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We consider a quantum–mechanical two-level system under the influence of both diagonal and off-diagonal stochastic perturbations, and focus on the decay times T1 and T2, which refer to the relaxation to equilibrium of the populations and relative phase of the two levels, respectively. From both theoretical and experimental viewpoints one traditionally expects that T2≤2T1. On the other hand, from a fourth-order cumulant expansion calculation of the asymptotic time dependence of the density matrix elements, Budimir and Skinner [J. Stat. Phys. 49, 1029 (1987)] showed that, in fact, in some instances T2>2T1. In this paper we solve the stochastic model numerically, which leads to the exact time dependence of the density matrix at all times. We find that the analytic prediction that T2>2T1 is not only correct, but also meaningful, in the sense that the density matrix elements decay exponentially after only a short transient time.
The relaxation of a nondegenerate two-level quantum system linearly and off-diagonally coupled to a thermal bath of quantum-mechanical harmonic oscillators is studied. The population and phase relaxation times, T1 and T2, are calculated to fourth order in the system/bath interaction. Focus is on a specific model of the bath spectral density that is both Ohmic (proportional to frequency at low frequency) and Lorentzian, and which has the property that, in the semiclassical or high-temperature limit, it reproduces the stochastic model studied previously by Budimir and Skinner [J. Stat. Phys. 49, 1029 (1987)]. For this fully quantum-mechanical model, it is found that under certain conditions the standard inequality, T2≤2T1, is violated, demonstrating that this unusual result, which was originally derived from the (infinite-temperature) stochastic model, is valid at finite temperature as well.
For a two-level system coupled stochastically to a bath with dichotomic colored noise the relaxation behavior is investigated. An exact numerical calculation shows that it can be described by two (longitudinal and transverse) relaxation rates only when correlations of the stochastic process decay rapidly enough as compared to the amplitude of the fluctuations. The numerical evaluation of the model also shows that the relation ${T}_{2}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}1}$\ensuremath{\ge}0.5${T}_{1}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}1}$, well known from textbooks, is generally not satisfied, in agreement with a recent fourth-order perturbative calculation. Finally, it is shown that this relaxation model for a \ensuremath{\delta}-correlated bath is mathematically equivalent to the Haken-Strobl-Reineker model for the coupled coherent and incoherent motion of a quantum particle in the special case of transport in a dimer.
Two nondegenerate quantum levels coupled off-diagonally and linearly to a bath of quantum-mechanical harmonic oscillators are considered. In the weak-coupling limit one finds that the equations of motion for the reduced density-matrix elements separate naturally into two uncoupled pairs of linear equations for the diagonal and off-diagonal elements, which are known as the Bloch equations. The equations for the populations form the simplest two-component master equation, and the rate constant for the relaxation of nonequilibrium population distributions is 1/T1, defined as the sum of the ‘‘up’’ and ‘‘down’’ rate constants in the master equation. Detailed balance is satisfied for this master equation in that the ratio of these rate constants is equal to the ratio of the equilibrium populations. The relaxation rate constant for the off-diagonal density-matrix elements is known as 1/T2. One finds that this satisfies the well-known relation 1/T2=1/2T1. In this paper the weak-coupling limit is transcended by deriving the Bloch equations to fourth order in the coupling. The equations have the same form as in the weak-coupling limit, but the rate constants are calculated to fourth order. For the population-relaxation rate constants this results in an extension to fourth order of Fermi’s golden rule. We find that these higher-order rate constants do indeed satisfy detailed balance. Comparing the dephasing and population-relaxation rate constants, we find that in fourth order 1/T2≠1/2T1.
We introduce a method of evaluating the density matrix of an arbitrary quantum mechanical system in terms of the quantities pertinent to the solution of the time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) problem. Our theory utilizes the adiabatic connection perturbation method [G\{o}rling and Levy, Phys. Rev. A {\bf 50}, 196 (1994), G\{o}rling, ibid. {\bf 55}, 2630 (1997)], from which the expansion of the density matrix in powers of the interaction constant λ\lambdaλ naturally arises. By this, we obtain the one-density-matrix $\rho_\lambda(\rv,\rv',t)$, which, by construction, has the λ\lambdaλ-independent diagonal elements $\rho_\lambda(\rv,\rv,t)=n(\rv,t)$, where $n(\rv,t)$ is the particle density. The off-diagonal elements of $\rho_\lambda(\rv,\rv',t)$ importantly contribute to the processes beyond the reach of TDDFT, of which we consider the momentum-resolved photoemission, doing this to the first order in λ\lambdaλ (exact exchange). In an illustrative calculation of photoemission from the quasi-2D electron gas with {\it one filled subband} we find strong deviations from the independent-particle Fermi golden rule formula.
The model of two nondegenerate quantum levels coupled linearly and off-diagonally to a bath of quantum mechanical harmonic oscillators studied previously by Laird, Budimir, and Skinner is re-examined. Interpretations are made for both the fourth order population relaxation and dephasing processes. Some of the methods used are applied to the standard spin-boson problem. The question of experimental detection of predicted phenomena is discussed. An approximate method, based on a canonical transformation of the original Hamiltonian is proposed to study the problem.
We evaluate the density matrix of an arbitrary quantum mechanical system in terms of the quantities pertinent to the solution of the time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) problem. Our theory utilizes the adiabatic connection perturbation method of G\"orling and Levy, from which the expansion of the many-body density matrix in powers of the coupling constant $\ensuremath{\lambda}$ naturally arises. We then find the reduced density matrix ${\ensuremath{\rho}}_{\ensuremath{\lambda}}(\mathbf{r},{\mathbf{r}}^{\ensuremath{'}},t)$, which, by construction, has the $\ensuremath{\lambda}$ independent diagonal elements ${\ensuremath{\rho}}_{\ensuremath{\lambda}}(\mathbf{r},\mathbf{r},t)=n(\mathbf{r},t)$, n(r,t)n(\mathbf{r},t)n(r,t) being the particle density. The off-diagonal elements of ${\ensuremath{\rho}}_{\ensuremath{\lambda}}(\mathbf{r},{\mathbf{r}}^{\ensuremath{'}},t)$ contribute importantly to the processes unaccessible via the density, directly or by the use of the known TDDFT functionals. Of those, we consider the momentum-resolved photoemission, doing this to the first order in $\ensuremath{\lambda}$, i.e., on the level of the exact exchange theory. In illustrative calculations of photoemission from the quasi-2D electron gas and isolated atoms, we find quantitatively strong and conceptually far-reaching differences with the independent-particle Fermi's golden rule formula.