Monitoring derivation of the quantum linear Boltzmann equation
Abstract
We show how the effective equation of motion for a distinguished quantum particle in an ideal gas environment can be obtained by means of the monitoring approach introduced by Hornberger [EPL 77, 50007 (2007)]. The resulting Lindblad master equation accounts for the quantum effects of the scattering dynamics in a nonperturbative fashion and it describes decoherence and dissipation in a unified framework. It incorporates various established equations as limiting cases and reduces to the classical linear Boltzmann equation once the state is diagonal in momentum.
- Publication:
-
Physical Review A
- Pub Date:
- February 2008
- DOI:
- 10.1103/PhysRevA.77.022112
- arXiv:
- arXiv:0711.3109
- Bibcode:
- 2008PhRvA..77b2112H
- Keywords:
-
- 03.65.Yz;
- 05.20.Dd;
- 03.75.-b;
- 47.45.Ab;
- Decoherence;
- open systems;
- quantum statistical methods;
- Kinetic theory;
- Matter waves;
- Kinetic theory of gases;
- Quantum Physics;
- Mathematical Physics
- E-Print:
- published version, 20 pages, 2 figures