Quantum Brownian motion and a theorem on fundamental 1/f noise

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that in quantum Hamiltonian systems with interacting subsystems and thermostats, diffusivity and mobility exhibit intrinsic 1/f-type fluctuations regardless of interaction specifics.

Contribution

It establishes a general theorem showing that quantum systems inherently display flicker noise in diffusivity and mobility, independent of interaction details.

Findings

Diffusivity and mobility fluctuate with 1/f-type noise.

Fluctuations are intrinsic and not dependent on interaction specifics.

Theoretical proof of fundamental flicker noise in quantum systems.

Abstract

We consider quantum Hamiltonian systems composed of mutually interacting "dynamical subsystem" with one or several degrees of freedom and "thermostat" with arbitrary many degrees of freedom, under assumptions that the interaction ensures irreversible behavior of the dynamical subsystem, that is finite diffusivities of its coordinates in thermodynamically equilibrium state and finite drift velocities and mobilities in non-equilibrium steady state in presence of external driving forces. It is shown that, nevertheless, regardless of characteristics of the interaction, the diffusivity and mobility have no certain values but instead vary from one observation to another and undergo 1/f-type or flicker-type low-frequency fluctuations.