Abstract
A quantum analog of friction (understood as a completely positive, Markovian, translation-invariant, phenomenological model of dissipation) is known to be at odds with detailed balance in the thermodynamic limit. We show that this is not the case for quantum systems with internal (e.g., spin) states nonadiabatically coupled to translational dynamics. For such systems, a quantum master equation is derived which phenomenologically accounts for the frictional effect of a uniform zero-temperature environment. A simple analytical example is provided. Conjectures regarding the finite-temperature case are also formulated. The results are important for efficient simulations of complex molecular dynamics and quantum reservoir engineering applications.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Article number | 042133 |
| Journal | Physical Review A |
| Volume | 98 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Oct 29 2018 |
Funding
D.V.Zh. thanks Madonna and Sameer Patwardhan for helpful discussions. T.S. and D.V.Zh. thank the National Science Foundation (Award No. CHEM-1012207 to T.S.) for support. D.I.B. is supported by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research Young Investigator Research Program (FA9550-16-1-0254).
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics