Canonical thermalization

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that quantum systems weakly coupled to large environments tend to thermalize, reaching a state indistinguishable from a canonical ensemble under realistic experimental conditions.

Contribution

It provides a rigorous demonstration of thermalization for quantum systems from far-from-equilibrium states in practical scenarios.

Findings

Quantum systems thermalize over time to a canonical state.

Thermalization occurs under conditions common in experiments.

Far-from-equilibrium initial states become indistinguishable from equilibrium.

Abstract

For quantum systems that are weakly coupled to a much 'bigger' environment, thermalization of possibly far from equilibrium initial ensembles is demonstrated: for sufficiently large times, the ensemble is for all practical purposes indistinguishable from a canonical density operator under conditions that are satisfied under many, if not all, experimentally realistic conditions.