The Functional Derivation of Master Equations
Abstract
Master equations describe the quantum dynamics of open systems interacting with an environment. They play an increasingly important role in understanding the emergence of semiclassical behavior and the generation of entropy, both being related to quantum decoherence. Presently we derive the exact master equation for a homogeneous scalar Higgs or inflaton like field coupled to an environment field represented by an infinite set of harmonic oscillators. Our aim is to demonstrate a derivation directly from the path integral representation of the density matrix propagator. Applications and generalizations of this result are discussed.
Cite
@article{arxiv.quant-ph/9804054,
title = {The Functional Derivation of Master Equations},
author = {Hans-Thomas Elze},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:quant-ph/9804054},
year = {2009}
}
Comments
10 pages; LaTex. - Contribution to the workshop Hadron Physics VI, March 1998, Florianopolis (Brazil); proceedings, E. Ferreira et al., eds. (World Scientific). Replaced by slightly modified published version