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Master equation for a quantum particle in a gas

Quantum Physics 2007-05-23 v2

Abstract

The equation for the quantum motion of a Brownian particle in a gaseous environment is derived by means of S-matrix theory. This quantum version of the linear Boltzmann equation accounts non-perturbatively for the quantum effects of the scattering dynamics and describes decoherence and dissipation in a unified framework. As a completely positive master equation it incorporates both the known equation for an infinitely massive Brownian particle and the classical linear Boltzmann equation as limiting cases.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.quant-ph/0607085,
  title  = {Master equation for a quantum particle in a gas},
  author = {Klaus Hornberger},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:quant-ph/0607085},
  year   = {2007}
}

Comments

5 pages; published version