Quantum Dynamical Semigroups and Applications

1. Front Matter

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2. General theory and applications to unstable particles

   • R. Alicki

   Pages 1-94

3. N-level systems and applications to spectroscopy

   • K. Lendi

   Pages 95-183

4. Back Matter

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In this text the authors develop quantum dynamics of open systems for a wide class of irreversible processes starting from the concept of completely positive semigroups. This unified approach makes the material easily accessible to non-specialists and provides an easy access to practical applications. Written for graduate students, the book presents a wealth of useful examples; in particular, models of unstable and N-level systems are treated systematically and in considerable detail including new types of generated Bloch-equations. The general theory is extensively summarized from abstract dynamical maps to those obtained by a reduction of Hamiltonian dynamics under a Markovian approximation. Various methods of determining semigroup generators and the corresponding master equations are discussed including time-dependent and nonlinear generators. Further topics treated are a generalized H-theorem, quantum detailed balance and return to equilibrium, discrete quantum Boltzmann equation, nonlinear Schrödinger equation, spin relaxation by spin waves, entropy production and its generalization by a measure of irreversibiblity.

• entropy
• open quantum system
• quantum dynamics
• spectroscopy
• structure

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