English

On the Assumption of Initial Factorization in the Master Equation for Weakly Coupled Systems I: General Framework

Quantum Physics 2008-03-01 v2

Abstract

We analyze the dynamics of a quantum mechanical system in interaction with a reservoir when the initial state is not factorized. In the weak-coupling (van Hove) limit, the dynamics can be properly described in terms of a master equation, but a consistent application of Nakajima-Zwanzig's projection method requires that the reference (not necessarily equilibrium) state of the reservoir be endowed with the mixing property.

Cite

@article{arxiv.quant-ph/0602184,
  title  = {On the Assumption of Initial Factorization in the Master Equation for Weakly Coupled Systems I: General Framework},
  author = {S. Tasaki and K. Yuasa and P. Facchi and G. Kimura and H. Nakazato and I. Ohba and S. Pascazio},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:quant-ph/0602184},
  year   = {2008}
}

Comments

33 pages

R2 v1 2026-07-22T19:53:42.541Z