Inspired by the continued-fraction technique to solve the classical Fokker-Planck equation, we develop continued-fraction methods to solve quantum master equations in phase space (Wigner representation of the density matrix). The approach allows to study several classes of nonlinear quantum systems subjected to environmental effects (fluctuations and dissipation), with the only limitations that the starting master equations may have. We illustrate the method with the canonical problem of quantum Brownian motion in periodic potentials.
Inspired by the continued-fraction technique to solve the classical Fokker-Planck equation, we develop continued-fraction methods to solve quantum master equations in phase space (Wigner representation of the density matrix). The approach allows to study several classes of nonlinear quantum systems subjected to environmental effects (fluctuations and dissipation), with the only limitations that the starting master equations may have. We illustrate the method with the canonical problem of quantum Brownian motion in periodic potentials.
The continued-fraction method of solving classical Fokker–Planck equations has been adapted to tackle quantum master equations of the Caldeira–Leggett type. This was done taking advantage of the phase-space (Wigner) representation of the quantum density matrix. The approach differs from those in which some continued-fraction expression is found for a certain quantity, in that the full solution of the master equation is obtained by continued-fraction methods. This allows us to study in detail the effects of the environment (fluctuations and dissipation) on several classes of nonlinear quantum systems. We apply the method to the canonical problem of quantum Brownian motion in periodic potentials both for cosine and ratchet potentials (lacking inversion symmetry).
The quantum Brownian motion of a particle in a periodic potential V ( x )=− V 0 cos( x / x 0 ) is treated using the master equation for the Wigner distribution function W ( x , p , t ) in phase space ( x , p ). Explicit equations for the diffusion coefficients of the master equation for this dissipative quantum system are derived. The dynamic structure factor S ( k , t ) and escape rate Γ are evaluated using matrix continued fractions. The matrix continued fraction calculation for Γ agrees well with the analytical solution of the corresponding quantum Kramers turnover problem.
Recent progress in our understanding of quantum effects on the Brownian motion in an external potential is reviewed. This problem is ubiquitous in physics and chemistry, particularly in the context of decay of metastable states, for example, the reversal of the magnetization of a single domain ferromagnetic particle, kinetics of a superconducting tunnelling junction, etc. Emphasis is laid on the establishment of master equations describing the diffusion process in phase space analogous to the classical Fokker-Planck equation. In particular, it is shown how Wigner's [E. P. Wigner, Phys. Rev., 1932, 40, 749] method of obtaining quantum corrections to the classical equilibrium Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution may be extended to the dissipative non-equilibrium dynamics governing the quantum Brownian motion in an external potential V(x), yielding a master equation for the Wigner distribution function W(x,p,t) in phase space (x,p). The explicit form of the master equation so obtained contains quantum correction terms up to o(h(4)) and in the classical limit, h --> 0, reduces to the classical Klein-Kramers equation. For a quantum oscillator, the method yields an evolution equation coinciding in all respects with that of Agarwal [G. S. Agarwal, Phys. Rev. A, 1971, 4, 739]. In the high dissipation limit, the master equation reduces to a semi-classical Smoluchowski equation describing non-inertial quantum diffusion in configuration space. The Wigner function formulation of quantum Brownian motion is further illustrated by finding quantum corrections to the Kramers escape rate, which, in appropriate limits, reduce to those yielded via quantum generalizations of reaction rate theory.
This thesis covers various aspects of open systems in classical and quantum mechanics. In the first part, we deal with classical systems. The bath-of-oscillators formalism is used to describe an open system, and the phenomenological Langevin equation is recovered. The Fokker-Planck equation is derived from its corresponding Langevin equation. The Fokker-Planck equation for a particle in a periodic potential in the high-friction limit is solved using the continued-fraction method. The equilibrium and time-dependent solutions are obtained. Under strong periodic driving, we observe significant non-linear effects in the dynamical hysteresis loops. Shapiro steps appear in the time-average of the drift velocity curves. Similar study is carried out for a dipole in an electric field. In the second part of the thesis, we begin the study of open quantum systems by re-deriving the quantum master equation using perturbation theory. The master equation is then applied to the bath-of-oscillators model. The subtleties and approximations of the master equation are discussed. We then use the master equation to solve the damped harmonic oscillator. The equilibrium solution coincides with the canonical distribution. The steady state response to DC and AC forces is also studied. Driven systems are more challenging in quantum open systems, and we manage to solve the quantum master equation with the continued-fraction method. We obtain the frequency-dependent susceptibility curves, which exhibit typical absorption and dispersion profiles.
In this chapter, we will develop methods for mapping operator equations to equivalent c-number equations. This results in a continuous phase-space representation of a many-body quantum system, using phase-space distributions instead of density matrices. In order to do this, we will first find c-number representations of operators. We have already seen one such representation, the Glauber–Sudarshan P -representation for the density matrix. We now introduce several more such representations. The main focus will be on the truncated Wigner representation, valid at large photon number, and the positive P -representation, which uses a double-dimensional phase space and exists as a positive probability for all quantum density matrices. Phase-space techniques have a great advantage over conventional matrix-type solutions to the Schrödinger equation, in that they do not have an exponential growth in complexity with mode and particle number. Instead, the equations that describe the dynamics of these c-number representations of the density matrix are Fokker–Planck equations. These have equivalent stochastic differential equations, which behave as c-number analogs of Heisenberg-picture equations of motion. This means that problems that would be essentially impossible to solve using conventional number-state representations can be transformed into readily soluble differential equations. In many cases, no additional approximations, such as perturbation theory or factorization assumptions, are needed.
We implement continued-fraction techniques to solve exactly quantum master equations for a spin with arbitrary S coupled to a (bosonic) thermal bath. The full spin density matrix is obtained, so that along with relaxation and thermoactivation, coherent dynamics is included (precession, tunnel, etc). The method is applied to study isotropic spins and spins in a bistable anisotropy potential (superparamagnets). We present examples of static response, the dynamical susceptibility including the contribution of different relaxation modes, and of spin resonance in transverse fields.