A novel scheme for modelling dissipation or thermalization in open quantum systems

Abstract

In this letter, we introduce a novel method for investigating dissipation (gain) and thermalization in an open quantum system. In this method, the quantum system is coupled linearly with a copy of itself or with another system described by a finite number of bosonic operators. The time-dependent coupling functions play a fundamental role in this scheme. To demonstrate the efficiency and significance of the method, we apply it to some ubiquitous open quantum systems. Firstly, we investigate a quantum oscillator in the presence of a thermal bath at the inverse temperature ${\hat{I}}^2$, obtaining the reduced density matrix, the Husimi distribution function, and the quantum heat distribution function accurately. The results are consistent with existing literature by appropriate choices for the time-dependent coupling function. To illustrate the generalizability of this method to systems interacting with multiple thermal baths, we study the interaction of a quantum oscillator with two thermal baths at different temperatures and obtain compatible results. Subsequently, we analyze a two-level atom with energy or phase dissipation and derive the spontaneous emission and the pure dephasing processes consistently using the new method. Finally, we investigate the Markovianity in a dissipative two-level system.

22 pages, 8 figures