Nonequilibrium steady state in open quantum systems: Influence action, stochastic equation and power balance

• Published in: Annals of physics Vol. 362; no. Complete; pp. 139 - 169
• Main Authors: Hsiang, J.-T., Hu, B.L.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Elsevier Inc 01.11.2015; Elsevier BV
• Subjects: ACTION INTEGRAL; ANHARMONIC OSCILLATORS; CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSICS; DENSITY; DENSITY MATRIX; Energy flow relation; EXPECTATION VALUE; FIELD THEORIES; Harmonic analysis; HARMONIC OSCILLATORS; Influence functional formalism; MANY-BODY PROBLEM; Nonequilibrium steady state; Normal distribution; Open quantum system; OSCILLATORS; QUANTUM OPERATORS; Quantum physics; QUANTUM SYSTEMS; Quantum transport; STATISTICAL MECHANICS; STEADY-STATE CONDITIONS; Stochastic density matrix; Stochastic models; STOCHASTIC PROCESSES; THERMODYNAMICS; Influence functional formalism; Nonequilibrium steady state; Stochastic density matrix; Energy flow relation; Open quantum system; Quantum transport

The existence and uniqueness of a steady state for nonequilibrium systems (NESS) is a fundamental subject and a main theme of research in statistical mechanics for decades. For Gaussian systems, such as a chain of classical harmonic oscillators connected at each end to a heat bath, and for classical...